What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Desvenlafaxine and venlafaxine
Desvenlafaxine's FDA label of January 27, 2023 names venlafaxine in its contraindications section, and venlafaxine's label names desvenlafaxine too. The desvenlafaxine label: “Figure 2 7.6 Other Drugs Containing Desvenlafaxine or Venlafaxine Avoid use of desvenlafaxine with other desvenlafaxine-containing products or venlafaxine products.”
Check it at the source: the desvenlafaxine FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 27, 2023, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited); the venlafaxine FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 15, 2023, Viatris Specialty LLC).
What does the desvenlafaxine label say about venlafaxine?
Desvenlafaxine label, contraindicationsCONTRAINDICATIONS Hypersensitivity to desvenlafaxine succinate, venlafaxine hydrochloride or to any excipients in the desvenlafaxine extended-release tablets formulation.
Desvenlafaxine label, drug interactionsFigure 2 7.6 Other Drugs Containing Desvenlafaxine or Venlafaxine Avoid use of desvenlafaxine with other desvenlafaxine-containing products or venlafaxine products.
Desvenlafaxine label, warnings and precautionsDisease and Eosinophilic Pneumonia Interstitial lung disease and eosinophilic pneumonia associated with venlafaxine (the parent drug of desvenlafaxine) therapy have been rarely reported.
Source: FDA drug label (Pristiq Extended-Release, NDA021992), Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., effective April 28, 2026 (SPL set 0f43610c-f290-46ea-d186-4f998ed99fce), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Desvenlafaxine), Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited, effective January 27, 2023 (SPL set 9f74708c-6f6a-46cf-8c79-87a25c2bb6f8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the venlafaxine label say about desvenlafaxine?
Venlafaxine label, contraindicationsCONTRAINDICATIONS Effexor XR is contraindicated in patients: • with known hypersensitivity to venlafaxine hydrochloride, desvenlafaxine succinate or to any excipients in the formulation [see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ].
Venlafaxine label (Almatica Pharma LLC, October 9, 2025), contraindicationsCONTRAINDICATIONS Venlafaxine Extended-Release Tablets are contraindicated in patients: with known hypersensitivity to venlafaxine besylate, venlafaxine hydrochloride, desvenlafaxine succinate or to any excipients in Venlafaxine Extended-Release Tablets [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.2 )]. taking, or within 14 days of stopping, MAOIs (including the MAOIs linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) because of increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.9 ), Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ), Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )].
Source: FDA drug label (Venlafaxine, NDA215429), Almatica Pharma LLC, effective October 9, 2025 (SPL set e81a2daf-b8b2-7c05-b532-bc775700b100), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Effexor XR), NDA020699 (Upjohn), as published by Viatris Specialty LLC, effective August 15, 2023 (SPL set c848a5d8-ba94-4c84-80e3-0bf35fb8e32e), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Desvenlafaxine | Venlafaxine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression | Depression, Anxiety |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.396 per unit 50 mg | $0.0799 per capsule 75 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once