Prescription medicine
Paricalcitol Brand names: Zemplar
Paricalcitol (Zemplar) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1998. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 8 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $1.28 per paricalcitol 1 mcg capsule in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
- A presentation discontinued
Check it at the source: the paricalcitol FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 7, 2024, AbbVie Inc.); the NDA 20819 record on Drugs@FDA; every paricalcitol label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of August 7, 2024; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageZEMPLAR is a vitamin D analog indicated in adults and pediatric patients 10 years and older for the prevention and treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stages 3 and 4 ( 1.1 ).
Forms and strengths
- 2ml
Liquid-filled capsule; injection; capsule; injection (solution).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 17, 1998 Zemplar, Abbvie; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 14 first July 27, 2011; 10 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 11 of which 8 under generic applications, 3 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $1.28 per capsule Paricalcitol 1 mcg capsule
- Shortage (FDA)
- None current 2 past records
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 10 since 2012 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest September 30, 2016; 1 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 14,043 through July 30, 2026
What is paricalcitol used for?
From the label: indications and usageZEMPLAR is a vitamin D analog indicated in adults and pediatric patients 10 years and older for the prevention and treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stages 3 and 4 ( 1.1 ). […]
FDA pharmacologic class: Vitamin D Analog, Vitamin D2 Analog and Vitamin D3 Analog.
Source: FDA drug label (Zemplar), AbbVie Inc., effective August 7, 2024 (SPL set 1b27c026-2d60-47b4-2a9c-ded1818f21b5), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for paricalcitol (Zemplar)?
The FDA approved the first generic paricalcitol on July 27, 2011. 14 generic applications are approved; 10 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale. Drugs@FDA also holds 1 tentative approval: the FDA found the generic approvable, but patents or exclusivity keep it from final approval for now.
FDA's NDC Directory lists paricalcitol from 8 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 3 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1998 earliest approval on file
- 2011 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for paricalcitol (Zemplar)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $1.28 per Paricalcitol 1 mcg capsule, up 37% from $0.935 on October 8, 2025. The survey records the price, not the reason for a change; large moves often follow a new generic or a list-price change. 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.
- Paricalcitol 1 mcg capsule (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paricalcitol 1 mcg capsule | Generic | $1.28 per capsule | $38.32 | +37% |
| Paricalcitol 2 mcg capsule | Generic | $2.59 per capsule | $77.66 | +40% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Is paricalcitol in shortage?
No paricalcitol presentation is listed as in shortage in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (read October 8, 2026); its 2 records are all marked to be discontinued, the latest updated October 7, 2025. ASHP keeps a separate shortage list, which can differ.
| Presentation | Company | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zemplar, Capsule, 1 ug (NDC 0074-9036-30) | AbbVie Inc. | To Be Discontinued | October 7, 2025 |
| Zemplar, Capsule, 2 ug (NDC 0074-9037-30) | AbbVie Inc. | To Be Discontinued | October 7, 2025 |
Every paricalcitol presentation in the FDA shortage database
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, updated October 8, 2026
Has paricalcitol been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 11 recalls naming paricalcitol since 2012: 0 Class I (the most serious), 3 Class II, 8 Class III; 0 still ongoing. 1 of them is by a firm that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of paricalcitol and that holds no application for it in Drugs@FDA, such as compounding pharmacies or bulk-ingredient suppliers; the recall notice names the product recalled. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2016 | Class III | Amerisource Health Services | Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: This repackaged product was recalled by its manufacturer due to failed results for impurities. |
| September 22, 2016 | Class III | Teva Pharmaceuticals USA | Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: out of specification test results for impurities during stability testing. |
| March 24, 2016 | Class III | AbbVie Inc. | Failed Content Uniformity Specifications |
| February 5, 2016 | Class II | Teva Pharmaceuticals USA | Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: Out of specification test results for impurities during stability testing. |
| November 4, 2015 | Class III | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc. | Failed Tablet/Capsule Specifications: Product recalled due to reports of breakage and leakage of Paricalcitol capsules. |
| July 2, 2013 | Class II | Aidapak Services, LLC not a listed maker | Labeling: Label Mixup: PARICALCITOL, Capsule, 1 mcg may have potentially been mislabeled as one of the following drugs: ASCORBIC ACID, Tablet, 500 mg, NDC … |
| May 14, 2012 | Class II | Abbott Laboratories | CGMP Deviations: There is potential that Abbott's third party manufacturer, Hospira, may have applied a foreign (incorrect) stopper to vials in a specific lot … |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the paricalcitol label say about other medicines?
The paricalcitol label names 11 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 1 other medicine name paricalcitol. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Calcitriol | warnings and precautions | Similar effects have also been seen with calcitriol. |
| Cholestyramine | drug interactions | Clinical Impact; Drugs that impair intestinal absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as cholestyramine, may interfere with the absorption of paricalcitol. |
| Clarithromycin | drug interactions | Clinical Impact; Paricalcitol is partially metabolized by CYP3A. Hence, exposure of paricalcitol will increase upon coadministration with strong CYP3A inhibitors such as but not limited to: boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil … |
| Itraconazole | drug interactions | Clinical Impact; Paricalcitol is partially metabolized by CYP3A. Hence, exposure of paricalcitol will increase upon coadministration with strong CYP3A inhibitors such as but not limited to: boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil … |
| Ketoconazole | drug interactions | … as but not limited to: boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
| Lopinavir and ritonavir | drug interactions | Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with Paricalcitol CYP3A Inhibitors Clinical Impact Paricalcitol is partially metabolized by CYP3A. Hence, exposure of paricalcitol will increase upon coadministration with strong CYP3A inhibitors such as but not limited to: boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit … |
| Nefazodone | drug interactions | … clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
| Nelfinavir | drug interactions | … conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
| Posaconazole | drug interactions | … grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
| Ritonavir | drug interactions | … boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, grapefruit juice, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
| Voriconazole | drug interactions | … lopinavir/ritonavir, mibefradil, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir, telithromycin, voriconazole. |
Other labels that name paricalcitol
Source: FDA drug label (Zemplar), AbbVie Inc., effective August 7, 2024 (SPL set 1b27c026-2d60-47b4-2a9c-ded1818f21b5), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for paricalcitol?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 14,043 reports that list paricalcitol among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 8,428 are coded as a death and 3,640 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 rose sharply in 2016 (1,826, against a median of 268 a year): FAERS counts follow reporting, which news, litigation and label changes can drive, not how often a reaction happens.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other vitamin d analogs
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Paricalcitol side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Paricalcitol shortage record
- every presentation, company and date
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other