Prescription medicine
Triazolam First approved as Halcion
Triazolam (Halcion) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1982. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 7 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.308 per triazolam 0.25 mg tablet in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
- Boxed warning
- DEA Schedule IV
Check it at the source: the triazolam FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 10, 2026, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.); the NDA 17892 record on Drugs@FDA; every triazolam label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of July 10, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION.
and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS
Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required. Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1), Drug Interactions (7.1) ].
The use of benzodiazepines, including triazolam, exposes users to risks of abuse, misuse, and addiction, which can lead to overdose or death. Abuse and misuse of benzodiazepines commonly involve concomitant use of other medications, alcohol, and/or illicit substances, which is associated with an increased frequency of serious adverse outcomes. Before prescribing triazolam and throughout treatment, assess each patient's risk for abuse, misuse, and addiction [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ].
The continued use of benzodiazepines, including triazolam, may lead to clinically significant physical dependence. The risks of dependence and withdrawal increase with longer treatment duration and higher daily dose. […]
Used for
From the label: indications and usageTriazolam is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days) in adults.
Forms and strengths
- 0.125 mg
- 0.25 mg
Tablet.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 15, 1982 Halcion, Pfizer; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 6 first March 25, 1994; 2 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 9 of which 7 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.308 per tablet Triazolam 0.25 mg tablet
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 3,986 through July 30, 2026
What is triazolam used for?
From the label: indications and usageTriazolam is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days) in adults. Triazolam is a benzodiazepine indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days) in adults.
Conditions named in the indications of triazolam's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
FDA pharmacologic class: Benzodiazepine.
Source: FDA drug label (Triazolam), NDA017892 (Pfizer), as published by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective July 10, 2026 (SPL set 5add318e-11b9-42f8-b052-0d8cebb32fcf), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the patient leaflet for triazolam say first?
The FDA-approved Medication Guide or Patient Information that comes with the medicine, in its own words.
From the patient leaflet: What is the most important information I should know about triazolam?Triazolam is a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma and death. Get emergency help right away if any of the following happens: o shallow or slowed breathing o breathing stops (which may lead to the heart stopping) o excessive sleepiness (sedation) Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how taking triazolam with opioids affects you. • Risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction. There is a risk of abuse, misuse, and addiction with benzodiazepines, including triazolam which can lead to overdose and serious side effects including coma and death. o Serious side effects including coma and death have happened in people who have abused or misused benzodiazepines, including triazolam. These serious side effects may also include delirium, paranoia, suicidal thoughts or actions, seizures, and difficulty breathing. Call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you get any of these serious side effects. o You can develop an addiction even if you take triazolam as prescribed by your healthcare provider. o Take triazolam exactly as your healthcare provider prescribed. o Do not share your triazolam with other people. o Keep triazolam in a safe place and away from children. • Physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. Triazolam can cause physical dependence and withdrawal reactions. o Do not suddenly stop taking triazolam. […]
From the patient leaflet: How should I store triazolam?Store triazolam at room temperature between 68°F to 77° F (20°C to 25°C). • Keep triazolam and all medicines out of the reach of children
Source: FDA drug label (Triazolam), NDA017892 (Pfizer), as published by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective July 10, 2026 (SPL set 5add318e-11b9-42f8-b052-0d8cebb32fcf), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for triazolam (Halcion)?
The FDA approved the first generic triazolam on March 25, 1994. 6 generic applications are approved; 2 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 triazolam from 7 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1982 earliest approval on file
- 1994 first generic approved
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for triazolam (Halcion)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.308 per Triazolam 0.25 mg tablet, down 13% from $0.354 on October 8, 2025. 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.
- Triazolam 0.25 mg tablet (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triazolam 0.125 mg tablet | Generic | $0.263 per tablet | $7.88 | -34% |
| Triazolam 0.25 mg tablet | Generic | $0.308 per tablet | $9.25 | -13% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What does the triazolam label say about other medicines?
The triazolam label names 9 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 38 other medicines name triazolam. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cimetidine | warnings and precautions | Cimetidine Coadministration of cimetidine increased the maximum plasma concentration, decreased clearance and increased half-life of triazolam [see Drug Interactions (7.1), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]; caution and consideration of appropriate triazolam dose reduction are recommended. |
| Clarithromycin | warnings and precautions | Similar caution should be observed during coadministration with clarithromycin and other macrolide antibiotics. |
| Erythromycin | warnings and precautions | Macrolide Antibiotics Coadministration of erythromycin increased the maximum plasma concentration, decreased clearance and increased half-life of triazolam [see Drug Interactions (7.1), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]; caution and consideration of appropriate triazolam dose reduction are recommended. |
| Flumazenil | warnings and precautions | Abrupt discontinuation or rapid dosage reduction of triazolam after continued use, or administration of flumazenil (a benzodiazepine antagonist) may precipitate acute withdrawal reactions, which can be life-threatening (e.g., seizures) [see Drug Abuse and Dependence (9.3) ]. |
| Itraconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration of strong cytochrome P450 (CYP 3A) enzyme inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazodone, lopinavir, ritonavir) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8), Drug Interactions (7.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to triazolam or other benzodiazepines |
| Ketoconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration of strong cytochrome P450 (CYP 3A) enzyme inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazodone, lopinavir, ritonavir) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8), Drug Interactions (7.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to triazolam or other benzodiazepines |
| Nefazodone | contraindications | Concomitant administration of strong cytochrome P450 (CYP 3A) enzyme inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazodone, lopinavir, ritonavir) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8), Drug Interactions (7.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to triazolam or other benzodiazepines |
| Nelfinavir | warnings and precautions | Strong CYP 3A Inhibitors Triazolam is contraindicated in patients receiving strong inhibitors of CYP 3A such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazodone, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, and lopinavir [see Contraindications (4), Drug Interactions (7.1) ]. |
| Ritonavir | contraindications | Concomitant administration of strong cytochrome P450 (CYP 3A) enzyme inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, nefazodone, lopinavir, ritonavir) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8), Drug Interactions (7.1) ]. Known hypersensitivity to triazolam or other benzodiazepines |
Other labels that name triazolam
Source: FDA drug label (Triazolam), NDA017892 (Pfizer), as published by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective July 10, 2026 (SPL set 5add318e-11b9-42f8-b052-0d8cebb32fcf), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for triazolam?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 3,986 reports that list triazolam among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 638 are coded as a death and 1,599 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 else is labeled for the same conditions as triazolam?
11 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as triazolam or labeled mainly for the same use (insomnia), the same class first. Insomnia lists all 14 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (oral) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temazepam | Insomnia | 20 labelers | $0.0767 per capsule 15 mg capsule | No current entry |
| Estazolam | Insomnia | 3 labelers | $0.839 per tablet 2 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Flurazepam | Insomnia | 1 labeler | n/a | In shortage |
| Quazepam | Insomnia | none listed | n/a | No current entry |
| Zolpidem | Insomnia | 39 labelers | $0.0344 per tablet 5 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Eszopiclone | Insomnia | 26 labelers | $0.0993 per tablet 1 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Ramelteon | Insomnia | 27 labelers | $0.660 per tablet 8 mg tablet | A presentation being discontinued |
| Zaleplon | Insomnia | 9 labelers | $0.141 per capsule 10 mg capsule | No current entry |
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does triazolam compare with medicines for the same use?
3 side-by-side pages set triazolam beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Alternatives to triazolam
- 11 medicines for the same use
- Other benzodiazepines
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Triazolam side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other