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pepcid complete

Pharmaranks rates Pepcid Complete 3.5/5 for recall safety — an independent score from its FDA recall history and its manufacturer's record. Pepcid Complete is a combination medicine containing Calcium Carbonate, Famotidine, and Magnesium Hydroxide.

Calcium Carbonate and Famotidine and Magnesium Hydroxide · by Kenvue Brands

70/100Limited · 1 source

Based on 1 source · Recall-safety score from FDA recall history — this product's own recalls and its manufacturer's record. Not an efficacy or quality rating. methodology →

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 19, 2026·How we rate
Verified againstopenFDANIH DailyMedRxClass
~$0.24 /30
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Key facts

Active ingredient
Calcium Carbonate and Famotidine and Magnesium Hydroxide
Form
Tablet, chewable
Strength
Calcium Carbonate 800MG; Famotidine 10MG; Magnesium Hydroxide 165MG
Type
Over-the-counter (OTC)
Brand or generic
Brand-name
Manufacturer
Kenvue Brands
Half-life
2.5 to 3.5 hours (how long it stays in your system)
What the pharmacy pays
~$0.24 for 30 — not your price
FDA application
NDA020958

What is Pepcid Complete?

From the FDA label:Use relieves heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach

How to use

Directions adults and children 12 years and over: do not swallow tablet whole: chew completely to relieve symptoms, chew 1 tablet before swallowing do not use more than 2 chewable tablets in 24 hours children under 12 years: ask a doctor

Warnings

Important safety information

Allergy alert Do not use if you are allergic to famotidine or other acid reducers Do not use if you have trouble or pain swallowing food, vomiting with blood, or bloody or black stools. These may be signs of a serious condition. See your doctor. with other acid reducers Ask a doctor before use if you have had heartburn over 3 months. This may be a sign of a more serious condition. heartburn with lightheadedness, sweating, or dizziness chest pain or shoulder pain with shortness of breath; sweating; pain spreading to arms, neck or shoulders; or lightheadedness frequent chest pain frequent wheezing, particularly with heartburn unexplained weight loss nausea or vomiting stomach pain kidney disease Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are taking a prescription drug. Antacids and acid reducers may interact with certain prescription drugs. Stop use and ask a doctor if your heartburn continues or worsens you need to take this product for more than 14 days If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away. (1-800-222-1222)

How long does Calcium Carbonate and Famotidine and Magnesium Hydroxide stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of calcium carbonate and famotidine and magnesium hydroxide is 2.5 to 3.5 hours — 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. This is the elimination half-life stated in §12.3 of the FDA label for adults with normal organ function; the label reports a single elimination half-life and does not separate a distribution from a terminal phase. Famotidine is not a prodrug, and it has no active metabolite that outlasts it — the label says the only metabolite identified in humans is the S-oxide, and famotidine undergoes minimal first-pass metabolism, with 25-30% of an oral dose recovered in urine unchanged. Kidney impairment: famotidine is cleared mostly by the kidneys (65-70% renal), and clearance falls in kidney impairment, so the drug lingers longer. The current label quantifies this as exposure rather than half-life — AUC increases at least 2-fold with moderate impairment (creatinine clearance 30-60 mL/min) and at least 5-fold with severe impairment (below 30 mL/min) — and it does not state a specific prolonged half-life number, so none is given here. Older adults: the label names no separate half-life, but notes famotidine is substantially excreted by the kidney and that risk of adverse reactions may be greater in elderly patients, particularly those with impaired renal function. Liver impairment: this label states no hepatic pharmacokinetic data and no half-life for liver impairment.

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: DailyMed - FAMOTIDINE tablet, film coated (FDA label, revised 11/2021), §12.3 Pharmacokinetics.

Dosage forms

Tablet, chewable

The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.

Ways to save

Ask for the generic

Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →

Request a 90-day supply

Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.

Use copay cards

Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.

Compare alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

How is Pepcid Complete rated?
pharmaranks gives Pepcid Complete a composite score of 3.5 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 Pepcid Complete 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 $0.24 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 Pepcid Complete?
pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Pepcid Complete. To pay less, look for a store-brand version with the same active ingredient (Calcium Carbonate and Famotidine and Magnesium Hydroxide), 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 Pepcid Complete?
Pepcid Complete is marketed by Kenvue Brands. You can see Kenvue Brands's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
Is Pepcid Complete a brand-name or generic drug?
Pepcid Complete is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Calcium Carbonate and Famotidine and Magnesium Hydroxide.
Is Pepcid Complete available over the counter?
Yes. Pepcid Complete 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 Pepcid Complete come in?
Pepcid Complete is currently marketed as tablet, chewable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
Is Pepcid Complete FDA-registered?
Pepcid Complete is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA020958. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
Has Pepcid Complete been recalled by the FDA?
Pepcid Complete 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 Pepcid Complete safe?
There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Pepcid Complete a recall-safety score of 70/100, 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.

Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.

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