EXALGO vs FENTANYL CITRATE

Independent side-by-side comparison.

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

Possible drug interaction. EXALGO and FENTANYL CITRATE 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	EXALGO	FENTANYL CITRATE
Rating	70/100	68/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.57 /mL	$9.51 /mL
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE	FENTANYL CITRATE
Manufacturer	Specgx LLC	Fresenius Kabi USA
Dosage forms	Tablet, extended release	Injectable
Drug class	Opioid Agonist	Opioid Agonist
Boxed warning	None	Boxed warning
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

exalgo fentanyl citrate

Rating

70/100

68/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.57 /mL

$9.51 /mL

Type

Active ingredient

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

FENTANYL CITRATE

Manufacturer

Specgx LLC

Fresenius Kabi USA

Dosage forms

Tablet, extended release

Injectable

Drug class

Opioid Agonist

Boxed warning

None

Boxed warning

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, Exalgo or Fentanyl Citrate?

By our independent rating, Exalgo scores higher — 3.5 vs 3.4 out of 5 for Fentanyl Citrate. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

Which is cheaper, Exalgo or Fentanyl Citrate?

Exalgo 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 Exalgo and Fentanyl Citrate?

Exalgo contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, while Fentanyl Citrate 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.