Generic name
Haloperidol: adverse event reports filed with FDA
14,280 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2004–2026. Class: Typical antipsychotic. Also reported as Haloperidol 5mg, Haloperidol Tablets Usp, Haloperidol Injection.
- 14,280
- reports as suspect product
- 0.1% of all reports · about 635 a year
- 819
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 830 in the 12 months before
- 94.7%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 92.3% across the class
- 14.2%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 2,028 reports · not verified by FDA
14,280 adverse event reports received by FDA list haloperidol, a generic name as a suspect or interacting product, from January 2004 to June 2026. A further 10,277 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, 819 reports listed it, close to the 830 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 635 reports a year and 0.1% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database, and 87% of the reports for the typical antipsychotic class. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
The MedDRA terms listed most often are drug ineffective (11.9%), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (10.6%) and drug interaction (8.5%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 1,598 different terms appear across these reports. Drug ineffective is recorded in 11.9% of these reports, about the same share as in the median typical antipsychotic drug (11.2%).
94.7% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter (92.3% across the class); 14.2% record death among the outcomes and 47.5% record hospitalisation, as reported. 41.8% of the reports came from other health professionals, and the largest patient age group is 18 to 44 (34.9%). 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 Haloperidol reports recording the termmedian drug in typical antipsychotic
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected11.9%1,694
- Neuroleptic malignant syndromea rare severe reaction with fever and rigidity10.6%1,508
- Drug interactionan interaction between medicines8.5%1,214
- Extrapyramidal disordermovement problems such as stiffness or tremor7.9%1,132
- Weight increasedweight gain7.2%1,035
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label7%995
- Toxicity to various agentspoisoning or toxic effect of one or more substances5.6%805
- Dystoniainvoluntary muscle contractions4.1%587
- Akathisiainner restlessness and an urge to move3.9%556
- Condition aggravatedthe condition being treated got worse3.8%536
- Electrocardiogram QT prolongeda QT prolongation on the ECG3.7%535
- Agitationrestlessness3.7%532
- Tremorshaking3.7%525
- Somnolencedrowsiness3.6%521
- Sedationdrowsiness from a medicine3.4%482
- Suicide attempta suicide attempt3.2%462
- Deliriumsudden confusion3.1%443
- Completed suicidedeath by suicide2.9%417
- Pyrexiafever2.9%417
- Confusional stateconfusion2.8%395
- Tachycardiafast heart rate2.7%384
- Psychotic disordera loss of contact with reality2.6%372
- Product use in unapproved indicationused for a purpose not on the label2.6%370
- Parkinsonism2.6%368
- Catatonia2.6%365
- Schizophreniaschizophrenia2.5%363
- Aggressionaggressive behaviour2.5%356
- Muscle rigidity2.4%340
- Hypotensionlow blood pressure2.2%321
- Anxietyanxiety2.2%316
Top 30 of 1,598 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 median share across the 3 drugs in the typical antipsychotic class; 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 16,422 reports in the class. 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. 33.1% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Schizophrenia | 2,001 | 14% |
| Agitation | 956 | 6.7% |
| Psychotic disorder | 843 | 5.9% |
| Bipolar disorder | 382 | 2.7% |
| Delirium | 320 | 2.2% |
| Schizophrenia, paranoid type | 270 | 1.9% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 14,280 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Haloperidol reports |
|---|---|---|
| Olanzapine | 3,294 | 23.1% |
| Risperidone | 2,736 | 19.2% |
| Lorazepam | 2,254 | 15.8% |
| Quetiapine | 2,207 | 15.5% |
| Clozapine | 1,498 | 10.5% |
| Aripiprazole | 1,426 | 10% |
| Diazepam | 1,188 | 8.3% |
| Clonazepam | 1,023 | 7.2% |
| Valproic acid | 868 | 6.1% |
| Chlorpromazine | 758 | 5.3% |
Other products listed in reports where Haloperidol is a suspect product, whatever their own role. Co-listing means the two were recorded together; it says nothing about either product's part in the event. Only the 2,500 most-reported names are counted here.
In context
| Measure | Haloperidol | Typical antipsychotic | All reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 14,280 | 16,422 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 87% | 0.1% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 819 | — | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 94.7% | 92.3% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 142 | 132 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 475 | 461 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 9.7% | 11.4% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Drug ineffective 11.9% | median 11.2% | 6.3% |
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."
Other drugs in the typical antipsychotic class
| Drug | Name type | Reports | Latest 12 months | Marked serious |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloperidol decanoate | generic | 1,317 | 93 | 86.9% |
| Haldol Decanoate | brand | 825 | 26 | 60% |
Ordered by report count for navigation only. 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." A brand and its generic are separate rows because reporters name them separately.
Questions about Haloperidol reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Haloperidol?
14,280 reports list Haloperidol as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 819 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 10,277 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Haloperidol reports?
drug ineffective (11.9%), neuroleptic malignant syndrome (10.6%), drug interaction (8.5%), extrapyramidal disorder (7.9%) and weight increased (7.2%). 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 Haloperidol was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
94.7% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 14.2% of reports include death and 47.5% 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?
other health professional (41.8%), physician (36.7%) and consumer or non-health professional (9.7%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Haloperidol rising?
819 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, close to the 830 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 Haloperidol 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 Haloperidol?
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 Haloperidol as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (10,277) 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.