DILAUDID vs SUBLIMAZE PRESERVATIVE FREE

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 21, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. DILAUDID and SUBLIMAZE PRESERVATIVE FREE 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	DILAUDID	SUBLIMAZE PRESERVATIVE FREE
Rating	68/100	72/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.57 /mL	$9.51 /mL
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE	FENTANYL CITRATE
Manufacturer	Fresenius Kabi USA	Rising
Dosage forms	Injectable, Solution, Tablet	Injectable
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	Cough, Postoperative Pain	Pain

dilaudid sublimaze preservative free

Rating

68/100

72/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.57 /mL

$9.51 /mL

Type

Active ingredient

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

FENTANYL CITRATE

Manufacturer

Fresenius Kabi USA

Rising

Dosage forms

Injectable, Solution, Tablet

Injectable

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

Cough, Postoperative Pain

Pain

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Dilaudid or Sublimaze Preservative Free?

By our independent rating, Sublimaze Preservative Free scores higher — 3.6 vs 3.4 out of 5 for Dilaudid. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

Which is cheaper, Dilaudid or Sublimaze Preservative Free?

Dilaudid costs pharmacies less to acquire — about $0.57 vs $9.51 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 Dilaudid and Sublimaze Preservative Free?

Dilaudid contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, while Sublimaze Preservative Free contains Fentanyl Citrate — 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.