Prescription medicine
Desmopressin Brand names: Ddavp, Desmoda, Stimate; first approved as Ddavp (Needs No Refrigeration)
Desmopressin (Ddavp) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1978. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 26 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $19.15 per mL (Desmopressin 40 mcg/10 mL vial) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the desmopressin FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 3, 2021, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.); the NDA 17922 record on Drugs@FDA; every desmopressin label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of February 3, 2021; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageCentral Diabetes Insipidus DDAVP Tablets are indicated as antidiuretic replacement therapy in the management of central diabetes insipidus and for the management of the temporary polyuria and polydipsia following head trauma or surgery in the pituitary region.
Forms and strengths
- 10ml
- 0.1 mg
- 0.2 mg
- 0.05 mg/ml
- 0.1 mg/ml
- 1.5 mg/ml
Tablet; injection (solution); injection; solution; spray.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 21, 1978 Ddavp (Needs No Refrigeration), Ferring Pharms Inc; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 28 first October 15, 1997; 16 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 29 of which 26 under generic applications, 4 under brand applications, repackagers included
- Last listed patent
- April 3, 2044 Desmoda oral solution; not a generic launch date
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $19.15 per mL Desmopressin 40 mcg/10 mL vial
- Shortage (FDA)
- None current 1 past records
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 12 since 2013 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest April 8, 2026
- FAERS reports
- 3,777 through July 30, 2026
What is desmopressin used for?
From the label: indications and usageCentral Diabetes Insipidus DDAVP Tablets are indicated as antidiuretic replacement therapy in the management of central diabetes insipidus and for the management of the temporary polyuria and polydipsia following head trauma or surgery in the pituitary region. DDAVP is ineffective for the treatment of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Patients were selected for therapy based on the diagnosis by means of the water deprivation test, the hypertonic saline infusion test, and/or response to antidiuretic hormone. Continued response to DDAVP can be monitored by measuring urine volume and osmolality. […]
FDA pharmacologic class: Factor VIII Activator and Vasopressin Analog.
Source: FDA drug label (DDAVP), Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective February 3, 2021 (SPL set 6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for desmopressin (Ddavp)?
The FDA approved the first generic desmopressin on October 15, 1997. 28 generic applications are approved; 16 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists desmopressin from 26 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 4 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
The Orange Book lists no patent for Ddavp tablets; a patent listed only for Desmoda oral solution runs to April 3, 2044. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.
- 1978 earliest approval on file
- 1997 first generic approved
- 2044 last listed patent
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for desmopressin (Ddavp)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $19.15 per mL (Desmopressin 40 mcg/10 mL vial), up 6% from $18.12 on October 8, 2025. Prices per unit in the table differ many-fold by strength, form and brand, so compare like with like. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Desmopressin 40 mcg/10 mL vial (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desmopressin 10 mcg/0.1 mL spr | Generic | $10.11 per mL | n/a | +2% |
| Desmopressin 40 mcg/10 mL vial | Generic | $19.15 per mL | $191.48 per vial | +6% |
| Desmopressin ac 4 mcg/mL vial | Generic | $19.15 per mL | n/a | +6% |
| Desmopressin acetate 0.1 mg tablet | Generic | $0.243 per tablet | $7.29 | -11% |
| Desmopressin acetate 0.2 mg tablet | Generic | $0.373 per tablet | $11.18 | +2% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Is desmopressin in shortage?
No desmopressin presentation is listed as limited or unavailable in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (read October 8, 2026); it keeps 1 current entry listed as available (updated September 16, 2026). ASHP keeps a separate shortage list, which can differ.
| Presentation | Company | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desmopressin Acetate (needs No Refrigeration), Spray, 10 ug (NDC 60505-0815-0) | Apotex Corp. | Current | September 16, 2026 |
Every desmopressin presentation in the FDA shortage database
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, updated October 8, 2026
Has desmopressin been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 12 recalls naming desmopressin since 2013: 0 Class I (the most serious), 10 Class II, 2 Class III; 1 still ongoing. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 8, 2026 | Class II | Apotex Corp. | Defective container: defect in a batch of bottle caps, specifically involving dislodged or missing cap liners. |
| December 5, 2022 | Class II | RemedyRepack Inc. | Subpotent Drug: repackaged product was recalled by the manufacturer for subpotency. |
| November 23, 2022 | Class II | Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc | Subpotent Drug |
| June 29, 2022 | Class II | Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA | CGMP Deviations |
| February 10, 2021 | Class II | Teva Pharmaceuticals USA | Lack of Assurance of Sterility: manufacturing areas for the recalled products exceeded acceptance levels for microbial recovery leading to a lack of sterility … |
| February 7, 2020 | Class II | American Health Packaging | GMP Deviations: Product bottle may be absent of desiccant. |
| January 27, 2020 | Class II | Teva Pharmaceuticals USA | GMP Deviations: Product bottle may be absent of desiccant. |
| June 26, 2015 | Class III | American Health Packaging | Tablets/Capsules Imprinted with Wrong ID: Some tablets incorrectly imprinted with an X on one side. |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the desmopressin label say about other medicines?
The desmopressin label names 4 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 3 other medicines name desmopressin. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Carbamazepine | drug interactions | The concomitant administration of drugs that may increase the risk of water intoxication with hyponatremia, (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine and carbamazepine) should be performed with caution. |
| Chlorpromazine | drug interactions | The concomitant administration of drugs that may increase the risk of water intoxication with hyponatremia, (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine and carbamazepine) should be performed with caution. |
| Lamotrigine | drug interactions | The concomitant administration of drugs that may increase the risk of water intoxication with hyponatremia, (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine and carbamazepine) should be performed with caution. |
| Oxybutynin | drug interactions | … chlorpromazine, opiate analgesics, thiazide diuretics, NSAIDs, lamotrigine, sulfonylureas, particularly chlorpropamide, oxybutynin and carbamazepine). |
Source: FDA drug label (DDAVP), Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective February 3, 2021 (SPL set 6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for desmopressin?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 3,777 reports that list desmopressin among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 249 are coded as a death and 1,372 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Desmopressin side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Desmopressin shortage record
- every presentation, company and date
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other