Paroxetine Hcl
Brand names: Paroxetine Cr, Paroxetine Hcl, Paxil, Paxil Cr, Paroxetine Er
Part of: Antidepressants
At a glance
- Medicare prescriptions, 2024
- 2,678,599
- Medicare drug cost
- $37.0M
- Average cost per prescription
- $13.80
- Clinicians who prescribed it
- 95,294
Where it is prescribed
List the prescribers in any state, county, city or ZIP code →
What it is used for
Paroxetine HCL CR is indicated in adults for the treatment of: Major depressive disorder (MDD) Panic disorder (PD) Social anxiety disorder (SAD) Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
From the FDA-approved prescribing information (label dated September 2026). Full labels on DailyMed (opens in a new tab)
Boxed warning
WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients in short-term studies. Closely monitor all antidepressant-treated patients for clinical worsening, and for emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Paroxetine HCL CR is not approved for use in pediatric patients. WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in pediatric and young adult patients taking antidepressants. Closely monitor all antidepressant-treated patients for clinical worsening and emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Paroxetine HCL CR is not approved for use in pediatric patients.
The FDA’s strongest warning on a label. It doesn’t mean the drug is unsafe for most people; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before stopping or changing any medicine.
Who prescribes it
- Family Medicine 29.8%
- Internal Medicine 23.4%
- Nurse Practitioners 15.3%
- Psychiatry 11.8%
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners 7.7%
- Physician Assistants 5.4%
- General Practice 1.4%
- Geriatric Medicine 1.3%
- Neurology 0.7%
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 0.5%
- Hospitalist 0.3%
- Cardiology 0.3%
All prescribers, by place, name or specialty →
Share of Medicare prescriptions written by each specialty. Select one to list its prescribers.
Trend, 2019–2024
Medicare prescriptions fell 14% from 2019 to 2024.
Biggest change by state since 2019
- Texas −5%
- Florida −5%
- Utah −6%
- Louisiana −7%
- New Hampshire −9%
- California (smallest change) −25%
- Oregon (smallest change) −24%
From CMS’s yearly state and national Part D summaries, which count every prescriber, including those CMS leaves out of its per-clinician data (fewer than 11 prescriptions). That is why these totals are higher than the count at the top of this page. Prescriptions include refills.
What it looks like
Pills from 1 maker on file. The same medicine can look different depending on who made it, so check the imprint (the letters and numbers on the pill) with your pharmacist if a refill looks different.
Apotex Corp
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 12.5 mg | yellow round tablet, 7 mm | 12 5 |
| 12.5 mg | yellow round tablet, 7 mm | GSK 12 5 |
| 25 mg | pink round tablet, 7 mm | 25 |
| 25 mg | pink round tablet, 7 mm | GSK 25 |
| 37.5 mg | blue round tablet, 8 mm | 37 5 |
| 37.5 mg | blue round tablet, 8 mm | GSK 37 5 |
Source: DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), from each maker’s FDA drug listing. A few makers are shown, not every one. Never take a pill you can’t identify; ask a pharmacist.
Industry payments about this drug
No industry payments to clinicians named this drug in 2025.
Recalls and shortages
Not on the FDA drug shortage list.
1 recall since 2020
- Sep 2026 · Apotex Corp. · Class II
Failed dissolution specifications.
Recalls usually affect specific lots from one maker, not every version of a drug. Class I is the most serious; most drug recalls are Class II. FDA recalls (opens in a new tab)
Sources: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug (2024; prescriptions include refills, and CMS hides counts under 11 per prescriber); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA (drug labels, NDC directory, enforcement reports, drug shortages); CMS Open Payments 2025; ClinicalTrials.gov. General information only, not medical advice; not yet reviewed by our medical reviewer.