Megestrol acetate: adverse event reports filed with FDA

556

reports as suspect product

0% of all reports · about 25 a year

32

reports, 12 months to June 2026

39 in the 12 months before

79.9%

marked serious by the reporter

41.9% across the class

16%

record death among outcomes, as reported

89 reports · not verified by FDA

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 Megestrol acetate reports recording the termmedian drug in progestin

1. Deep vein thrombosisa blood clot in a deep vein11.7%65
2. Adrenal insufficiencythe adrenal glands produce too little hormone11%61
3. Pulmonary embolisma blood clot in the lung7.9%44
4. Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term5.2%29
5. Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label5.2%29
6. Fatiguetiredness4%22
7. Anaemialow red blood cells3.4%19
8. Astheniaweakness or lack of energy3.2%18
9. Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected3.2%18
10. Meningioma3.2%18
11. Weight decreasedweight loss2.7%15
12. Hypogonadism2.5%14
13. Dyspnoeashortness of breath2.3%13
14. Blood glucose increasedraised blood sugar reading2.2%12
15. Hyponatraemialow blood sodium2.2%12
16. Pneumonialung infection2.2%12
17. Secondary adrenocortical insufficiency2.2%12
18. Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools2%11
19. Oedema peripheralswelling of the legs, ankles or hands2%11
20. Disease progressionthe disease advanced1.8%10
21. Hepatic failureliver failure1.8%10
22. Malignant neoplasm progression1.8%10
23. Nauseafeeling sick1.8%10
24. Pyrexiafever1.8%10
25. Neutropenialow neutrophils, a type of white blood cell1.6%9
26. Thrombosis1.6%9
27. Vomitingbeing sick1.6%9
28. Decreased appetitereduced appetite1.4%8
29. Metastases to lung1.4%8
30. Product taste abnormalthe product tasted odd1.4%8

Top 30 of 232 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 17 drugs in the progestin 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 293,492 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

Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 74.6% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.

Reason for use recorded

The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 556 reports.

In context

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 progestin class

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.

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 Megestrol acetate as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (3,329) 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.