DEMEROL vs EXALGO

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 23, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. DEMEROL and EXALGO are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	DEMEROL	EXALGO
Rating	60/100	70/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.16 /mL	$0.57 /mL
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	MEPERIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE
Manufacturer	Hospira	Specgx LLC
Dosage forms	Injectable	Tablet, extended release
Drug class	Opioid Agonist	Opioid Agonist
Boxed warning	Boxed warning	None
Half-life	—	about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid
Treats	Pain	Cough, Postoperative Pain

demerol exalgo

Rating

60/100

70/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.16 /mL

$0.57 /mL

Type

Active ingredient

MEPERIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

Manufacturer

Hospira

Specgx LLC

Dosage forms

Injectable

Tablet, extended release

Drug class

Opioid Agonist

Boxed warning

None

Half-life

—

about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid

Treats

Pain

Cough, Postoperative Pain

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Demerol or Exalgo?

By our independent rating, Exalgo scores higher — 3.5 vs 3.0 out of 5 for Demerol. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

Which is cheaper, Demerol or Exalgo?

Demerol costs pharmacies less to acquire — about $0.16 vs $0.57 per ml, per the CMS NADAC survey. That gap is in the pharmacy's cost of goods, not necessarily in what you pay: your price is set afterwards by your insurer and the pharmacy.

What is the difference between Demerol and Exalgo?

Demerol contains Meperidine Hydrochloride, while Exalgo contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.