Prescription medication · Typical Antipsychotic
pimozide
Also sold as Orap. Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 463
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 24
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- $1.22
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
pimozide (Orap) is a prescription Typical Antipsychotic, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (463 FDA reports), with 24 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
pimozide (Orap) is a prescription Typical Antipsychotic. Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder.
Pimozide (Orap) is a medicine that helps control tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$1.22/unit
Generic Available
Yes (1 manufacturer)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder.
Common side effects
Parkinson-like symptoms (tremors, stiffness), Restlessness, Muscle stiffness
Key warnings
Pimozide can cause changes in your heart rhythm (QT prolongation).
The sections below are summarized in plain English from pimozide's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Pimozide belongs to a class of drugs called antipsychotics. It works by blocking dopamine, a chemical in the brain. By blocking dopamine, pimozide helps to reduce tics.
How to Take It
Take pimozide exactly as your doctor tells you. The usual starting dose for adults is 1 to 2 mg per day, divided into smaller doses. Your doctor may increase the dose slowly every other day. Children usually start with a lower dose, and it is increased slowly every 3 days.
This is a plain-language summary of pimozide's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if pimozide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking pimozide during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of pimozide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of pimozide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store pimozide tablets at room temperature, away from heat and light.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 463 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for pimozide, by number of reports
- Interaction with another medicine
Interaction with another medicine
76 reports
- Parkinson-like symptoms
Parkinson-like symptoms
42 reports
- Weight gain
Weight gain
37 reports
- Sleepiness
Sleepiness
33 reports
- Low blood pressure 29
Low blood pressure
29 reports
- A rare, life-threatening reaction to the drug 29
A rare, life-threatening reaction to the drug
29 reports
- Muscle spasms 28
Muscle spasms
28 reports
- Harm from different substances 26
Harm from different substances
26 reports
- Heart defect 23
Heart defect
23 reports
- Condition getting worse 23
Condition getting worse
23 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for pimozide each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where pimozide sits
pimozide has more FDA adverse-event reports than 3% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is pimozide; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 463 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
463
Reports Mentioning Death
79
17.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
173
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INTERACTION | 76 |
| 3 | PARKINSONISM | 42 |
| 4 | WEIGHT INCREASED | 37 |
| 5 | SOMNOLENCE | 33 |
| 6 | HYPOTENSION | 29 |
| 7 | NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME | 29 |
| 8 | DYSTONIA | 28 |
| 10 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 26 |
| 11 | ATRIOVENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT | 23 |
| 12 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 23 |
| 13 | ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QT PROLONGED | 23 |
| 14 | DYSMORPHISM | 22 |
| 15 | FOETAL EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY | 19 |
| 16 | HALLUCINATION | 18 |
| 17 | DEPRESSION | 17 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Pimozide can cause changes in your heart rhythm (QT prolongation). This can lead to serious heart problems. You should have an ECG (heart test) before starting pimozide and regularly during treatment. Do not take pimozide with other medicines that can also affect your heart rhythm.
Known Drug Interactions
Table 10: Effects of Aprepitant on the Pharmacokinetics of Other Drugs CYP3A4 Substrates Pimozide Clinical Impact Increased pimozide exposure Intervention Aprepitant is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )] . Table 10: Effects of Aprepitant on the Pharmacokinetics of Other Drugs CYP3A4 Substrates Pimozide Clinical Impact Increased pimozide exposure Intervention Aprepitant is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )] .
Mechanism: Aprepitant stops the body from breaking down pimozide, which can cause pimozide to build up to dangerous levels in the blood.
What to do: Do not take these two medications together because the combination is unsafe.
Pimozide Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of citalopram with pimozide increases plasma concentrations of pimozide, a drug with a narrow therapeutic index, and may increase the risk of QT prolongation and/or ventricular arrhythmias compared to use of citalopram alone [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2) ]. Intervention: Citalopram is contraindicated in patients taking pimozide [see Contraindications (4) , Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ]. Intervention: Avoid concomitant use of citalopram with drugs that prolong the QT interval (citalopram is contraindicated in patients taking pimozide) [see...
Mechanism: Citalopram increases the amount of pimozide in your blood, which can lead to dangerous heart rhythm problems.
What to do: This combination is not allowed and must be avoided.
Colchicine (in patients with normal renal and hepatic function) Use With Caution Antipsychotics: Pimozide Contraindicated Pimozide: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Quetiapine Lurasidone Quetiapine: Quetiapine is a substrate for CYP3A4, which is inhibited by clarithromycin.
Mechanism: Clarithromycin prevents the breakdown of pimozide, which can cause the drug to reach dangerous levels and potentially affect your heart rhythm.
What to do: Do not use these medications at the same time because this combination is strictly prohibited.
pimozide ↑ pimozide Co-administration is contraindicated due to potential for serious and/or life-threatening reactions such as cardiac arrhythmias.
Mechanism: Darunavir increases the level of pimozide in the body, which can cause the heart to beat in a dangerous way.
What to do: Do not take these two medicines together because of the high risk of life-threatening heart rhythm problems.
Intervention: Escitalopram is contraindicated in patients taking MAOIs, including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue [ see Dosage and Administration (2.7) , Contraindications (4) , and Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Pimozide Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of racemic citalopram with pimozide increases plasma concentrations of pimozide, a drug with a narrow therapeutic index, and may increase the risk of QT prolongation and/or ventricular arrhythmias compared to use of racemic citalopram alone [ see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Intervention: Escitalopram is...
Mechanism: Escitalopram raises the amount of pimozide in your blood, which can cause dangerous heart rhythm issues.
What to do: You should not take these two medicines together.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I take pimozide for any type of tic?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can I drink alcohol while taking pimozide?
How long does it take for pimozide to start working?
Will I need regular check-ups while taking pimozide?
Can I stop taking pimozide suddenly?
Can pimozide interact with other medications I'm taking?
What if pimozide doesn't seem to be working?
Is pimozide a cure for Tourette's?
What are the common side effects of pimozide?
Does pimozide interact with other medications?
What drug class is pimozide?
Is pimozide safe during pregnancy?
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for pimozide
The FDA label for pimozide (sold under brand names such as Orap) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Typical Antipsychotic class. Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Parkinson-like symptoms (tremors, stiffness), Restlessness, Muscle stiffness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 463 voluntary reports. The database also lists 24 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $1.22.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: November 25, 2017
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages