claritin

What is Claritin?

From the FDA label:Uses Temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies: • runny nose • itchy, watery eyes • sneezing • itching of the nose or throat

How to use

Claritin is sold in more than one form (Tablet and Tablet, chewable), and each is dosed differently. The instructions below come from the FDA label for application NDA019658 — follow the label that came with the product you were actually prescribed.

Warnings

How long does Loratadine stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of loratadine is about 8 hours (mean 8.4 hours; range 3 to 20 hours in normal adults) — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. Loratadine is metabolized to an active metabolite, descarboethoxyloratadine (also known as desloratadine), which greatly outlasts the parent drug: its mean elimination half-life is about 28 hours (range 8.8 to 92 hours), which is why once-daily dosing is effective. The half-life lengthens with age (mean ~18 hours for loratadine in healthy elderly subjects) and in liver disease (about 24 hours in chronic alcoholic liver disease, increasing with severity). Renal impairment and hemodialysis do not substantially change the half-life. Loratadine is not a prodrug — both it and its metabolite are pharmacologically active.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: CLARITIN (loratadine) tablets — FDA prescribing information, Clinical Pharmacology / Pharmacokinetics (NDA 20-641/S7).

Frequently asked questions

What does Claritin treat?

Claritin (Loratadine) may be used to treat perennial allergic rhinitis, urticaria, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How is Claritin rated?

pharmaranks gives Claritin a composite score of 3.4 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.

How much does Claritin cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $1.59 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.

Is there a coupon or discount for Claritin?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Claritin. To pay less, look for a store-brand version with the same active ingredient (Loratadine), which is typically cheaper, and compare unit prices. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Claritin?

Claritin is marketed by Bayer Pharms. You can see Bayer Pharms's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Claritin a brand-name or generic drug?

Claritin is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Loratadine. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Loratadine are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Claritin available over the counter?

Yes. Claritin is an over-the-counter (OTC) product — you can buy it without a prescription. Follow the label directions and ask a pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's right for you.

What forms does Claritin come in?

Claritin is currently marketed as tablet and tablet, chewable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

Is Claritin FDA-registered?

Claritin is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA019658. You can verify this on its official FDA label.

Has Claritin been recalled by the FDA?

Claritin has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.

Is Claritin safe?

There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Claritin a recall-safety score of 68/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.