Product name as reported
Boniva: adverse event reports filed with FDA
16,911 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2005–2026.
- 16,911
- reports as suspect product
- 0.1% of all reports · about 802 a year
- 22
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 21 in the 12 months before
- 64.5%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 57.4% across all reports
- 3.7%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 624 reports · not verified by FDA
16,911 adverse event reports received by FDA list the product name "Boniva" as reporters wrote it as a suspect or interacting product, from June 2005 to May 2026. A further 4,658 reports list it only as a concomitant medication, and those are not counted in the figures on this page.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 22 reports listed it, close to the 21 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Over its reporting history that is about 802 reports a year and 0.1% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
The reactions recorded most often are arthralgia (10.6%), femur fracture (10.3%) and pain in extremity (8.5%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 1,600 different terms appear across these reports. Arthralgia is recorded in 10.6% of these reports, against 2% of all reports in the database.
64.5% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter; 3.7% record death among the outcomes and 15.8% record hospitalisation, as reported. 46.7% of the reports came from consumers, and the largest patient age group is 45 to 64 (16.4%). FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event."
Reports by month, five years
Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.
By year received
2026 covers reports received through June 2026 only.
Reactions recorded in the reports
share of Boniva reports recording the termall reports in the database
- Arthralgiajoint pain10.6%1,791
- Femur fracture10.3%1,743
- Pain in extremitypain in an arm or leg8.5%1,440
- Painpain, site not specified7.2%1,217
- Back painback pain7%1,191
- Myalgiamuscle pain6.5%1,102
- Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools6.3%1,061
- Nauseafeeling sick5.8%985
- Bone painbone pain5.6%939
- Falla fall4.8%804
- Dyspepsiaindigestion4.6%783
- Low turnover osteopathy4.6%775
- Headachehead pain4.5%754
- Chest painchest pain4.1%700
- Influenza like illnessflu-like symptoms4.1%700
- Anxietyanxiety3.9%656
- Gastrooesophageal reflux diseaseacid reflux3.5%593
- Abdominal pain upperupper stomach pain3.5%586
- Fatiguetiredness3.1%532
- Muscle spasmsmuscle cramps3.1%522
- Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness3.1%520
- Pain in jaw2.9%487
- Stress fracture2.8%480
- Depressionlow mood2.7%460
- Emotional distressemotional distress2.6%445
- Vomitingbeing sick2.5%431
- Pyrexiafever2.4%412
- Musculoskeletal painpain in muscles or bones2.4%404
- Dysphagiadifficulty swallowing2.4%403
- Bone disorder2.3%394
Top 30 of 1,600 MedDRA preferred terms recorded across these reports, with a plain-language gloss where one is available. One report can record several terms. The hollow bar is the share of all reports in the database; it describes the reports, not the patients. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Outcomes recorded
Outcome flags as the reporter set them; a report can carry several, and "other serious" is FDA's own category for serious reports outside the named outcomes. Grey bar: all 20,646,523 reports. FDA has not verified any outcome and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."
Patients and reporters
Patient age
Patient sex
Who reported
Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 91.2% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Osteoporosis | 5,775 | 34.1% |
| Osteopenia | 1,355 | 8% |
| Osteoporosis prophylaxis | 177 | 1% |
| Osteoporosis postmenopausal | 142 | 0.8% |
| Bone density decreased | 107 | 0.6% |
| Bone disorder | 85 | 0.5% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 16,911 reports.
In context
| Measure | Boniva | All reports |
|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 16,911 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 0.1% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 22 | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 64.5% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 37 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 158 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 46.7% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Arthralgia 10.6% | 2% |
Shares are of reports, not of patients treated. The number of people taking a product is not in the data, so none of these figures is a rate, and differences between columns reflect who takes a product, who reports and how long it has been sold. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Questions about Boniva reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Boniva?
16,911 reports list Boniva as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 22 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 4,658 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Boniva reports?
arthralgia (10.6%), femur fracture (10.3%), pain in extremity (8.5%), pain (7.2%) and back pain (7%). These are MedDRA preferred terms coded from what the reporter described; a report can list several, and a term's presence is not a finding that Boniva was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
64.5% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 3.7% of reports include death and 15.8% include hospitalisation. FDA has not verified these outcomes and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence" of the events.
Who files these reports?
consumer or non-health professional (46.7%), physician (19.4%) and not given (18%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Boniva rising?
22 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, close to the 21 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Counts also move with how many people take a product, its time on the market and publicity.
Do these reports show that Boniva was responsible for these reactions?
No. FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event." The reaction may relate to the condition being treated, to other medicines, or to something else.
Is this a list of the side effects of Boniva?
No. It is a count of what was reported to FDA. The adverse reactions observed in clinical studies are printed on the FDA-approved label, which a pharmacist or clinician can go through with you.
How do I report an adverse event?
Consumers and health professionals can report to FDA through MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 online, or 1-800-FDA-1088), or to the manufacturer, which must pass reports on. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A report counts here when it lists Boniva as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (4,658) are excluded. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.
Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.