iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) belongs to the Health & Biotech Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with IHE. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to IHE
IHE charges 0.38% annually. There are 15 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 42.10B | Dec 1998 | IHE vs XLV | |
| Fidelity MSCI Health Care Index ETF | 0.08% | 3.22B | Oct 2013 | IHE vs FHLC | |
| Vanguard Health Care ETF | 0.09% | 20.40B | Jan 2004 | IHE vs VHT | |
| VanEck Healthcare TruSector ETF | 0.10% | 850.50K | Apr 2026 | IHE vs TRUH | |
| Portfolio Building Block World Pharma and Biotech ... | 0.13% | 933.15M | Nov 2025 | IHE vs PBPH |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to IHE
IHE has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 95. There is 1 ETF in the Health & Biotech Equities category with a higher risk-adjusted rank, going as high as 96.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 96 | 47.80M | Dec 2014 | IHE vs BBC | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | 95 | 911.09M | Sep 2016 | IHE vs FTXH | |
| ALPS Medical Breakthroughs ETF | 95 | 201.57M | Dec 2014 | IHE vs SBIO | |
| Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF | 94 | 472.10M | Jun 2005 | IHE vs PJP | |
| SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals ETF | 94 | 502.65M | Jun 2006 | IHE vs XPH |
Top Performing IHE Alternatives (YTD)
IHE is at 19.36% YTD. There are 12 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 36.76%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARK Genomic Revolution Multi-Sector ETF | 36.76% | 1.73B | Oct 2014 | IHE vs ARKG | |
| AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF | 36.69% | 48.53M | Sep 2021 | IHE vs PSIL | |
| Roundhill UNH WeeklyPay ETF | 28.89% | 7.27M | Dec 2025 | IHE vs UNHW | |
| Virtus LifeSci Biotech Clinical Trials ETF | 27.03% | 47.80M | Dec 2014 | IHE vs BBC | |
| SPDR S&P Health Care Services ETF | 25.67% | 206.72M | Sep 2011 | IHE vs XHS |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to IHE
IHE has 17.83% 1-year volatility. There are 23 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF | 0.00% | 12.73M | Oct 2015 | IHE vs CNCR | |
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | IHE vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | 8.66% | 10.09M | Jun 2007 | IHE vs SPAQ | |
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | 10.75% | 21.55M | Jul 2025 | IHE vs XLVI | |
| Milliman Healthcare Inflation Plus ETF | 10.92% | 982.35K | Apr 2026 | IHE vs MHIP |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to IHE
IHE has a 1-year max drawdown of -8.47%. There are 5 ETFs in the Health & Biotech Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as 0.00%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amplify Treatments, Testing and Advancements ETF | 0.00% | 9.68M | Jun 2020 | IHE vs GERM | |
| Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF | -4.20% | 10.09M | Jun 2007 | IHE vs SPAQ | |
| First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF | -7.47% | 911.09M | Sep 2016 | IHE vs FTXH | |
| State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR Premiu... | -8.14% | 21.55M | Jul 2025 | IHE vs XLVI | |
| Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | -8.34% | 75.06M | Jun 2021 | IHE vs IBBQ |
Other ETFs from iShares
The 10 most viewed iShares ETFs shown here include SGOV, IBIT, SOXX and span 14 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $869B.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | Ultrashort Bond | 100 | 2.13% | 99.95B | May 2020 | IHE vs SGOV | |
| iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF | Cryptocurrency | 2 | -27.17% | 46.52B | Jan 2024 | IHE vs IBIT | |
| iShares Semiconductor ETF | Semiconductors, Technology Equities | 90 | 68.76% | 44.69B | Jul 2001 | IHE vs SOXX | |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | S&P 500 | 78 | 11.75% | 869.20B | May 2000 | IHE vs IVV | |
| iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Large Cap Growth Equities, Dividend | 92 | 13.79% | 42.77B | Jun 2014 | IHE vs DGRO | |
| iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | Government Bonds, Long-Term Bond | 7 | -3.18% | 41.54B | Jul 2002 | IHE vs TLT | |
| iShares Silver Trust | Silver, Precious Metals | 35 | -18.57% | 28.08B | Apr 2006 | IHE vs SLV | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 28 | -6.14% | 59.74B | Jan 2005 | IHE vs IAU | |
| iShares Russell 2000 ETF | Small Cap Blend Equities | 85 | 20.84% | 80.11B | May 2000 | IHE vs IWM | |
| iShares MSCI ACWI ETF | Global Equities | 77 | 12.35% | 32.49B | Mar 2008 | IHE vs ACWI |
Often Compared With IHE
Investors most often compare IHE with PPH, VYM, IAK. These 20 comparison targets span 8 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare IHE with Any Fund or Stock
Compare IHE with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair IHE with funds that move differently
iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to IHE.
Explore IHE Diversifiers