Generic name
Pomalidomide: adverse event reports filed with FDA
12,185 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2009–2026. Class: Thalidomide analog.
- 12,185
- reports as suspect product
- 0.1% of all reports · about 735 a year
- 1,678
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 1,111 in the 12 months before
- 93.5%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 63.4% across the class
- 22.6%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 2,749 reports · not verified by FDA
Between December 2009 and June 2026, 12,185 adverse event reports received by FDA list pomalidomide, a generic name as a suspect or interacting product. Reports that mention it only as a concomitant medication (1,586) are left out of every figure here.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 1,678 reports listed it, up 51% from 1,111 in 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 735 reports a year and 0.1% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database, and 2.4% of the reports for the thalidomide analog class. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
Reporters most often recorded plasma cell myeloma (16.6%), neutropenia (11.7%) and pneumonia (8.5%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 1,171 different terms appear across these reports. Plasma cell myeloma is recorded in 16.6% of these reports, a larger share than in the median thalidomide analog drug (5.6%).
93.5% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter (63.4% across the class); 22.6% record death among the outcomes and 41.2% record hospitalisation, as reported. 43.1% of the reports came from physicians, and the largest patient age group is 65 to 74 (27%). 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 Pomalidomide reports recording the termmedian drug in thalidomide analog
- Plasma cell myeloma16.6%2,020
- Neutropenialow neutrophils, a type of white blood cell11.7%1,422
- Pneumonialung infection8.5%1,032
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label7.1%871
- Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term6.2%756
- Thrombocytopenialow platelets6.2%754
- Anaemialow red blood cells5.7%698
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected4.4%539
- Disease progressionthe disease advanced3.6%436
- Fatiguetiredness3.5%424
- Pyrexiafever3.4%420
- Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools3.2%394
- Febrile neutropeniafever with low white blood cells3.1%382
- Acute kidney injurysudden loss of kidney function2.6%321
- Dyspnoeashortness of breath2.6%317
- Leukopenialow white blood cells2.6%312
- Plasma cell myeloma refractory2.4%297
- Sepsisa severe body-wide response to infection2.4%287
- Infectionan infection, type not specified2.3%275
- Covid-19COVID-19 infection2.2%273
- Nauseafeeling sick2%247
- Neuropathy peripheralnerve damage in hands or feet2%244
- Intentional product use issuedeliberate use not as intended1.8%216
- Lower respiratory tract infectiona chest infection1.7%212
- Atrial fibrillationan irregular heart rhythm1.6%197
- General physical health deteriorationgeneral decline in health1.6%195
- Rashskin rash1.6%190
- Astheniaweakness or lack of energy1.5%186
- Pancytopenialow counts of all blood cells1.5%183
- Neutrophil count decreased1.5%182
Top 30 of 1,171 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 4 drugs in the thalidomide analog 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 516,063 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. 22.2% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma cell myeloma | 8,317 | 68.3% |
| Plasma cell myeloma refractory | 1,148 | 9.4% |
| Plasma cell myeloma recurrent | 95 | 0.8% |
| Primary amyloidosis | 50 | 0.4% |
| Chemotherapy | 43 | 0.4% |
| Amyloidosis | 26 | 0.2% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 12,185 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Pomalidomide reports |
|---|---|---|
| Dexamethasone | 8,770 | 72% |
| Carfilzomib | 1,896 | 15.6% |
| Daratumumab | 1,886 | 15.5% |
| Lenalidomide | 1,777 | 14.6% |
| Bortezomib | 1,760 | 14.4% |
| Cyclophosphamide | 1,686 | 13.8% |
| Isatuximab | 1,379 | 11.3% |
| Darzalex | 1,158 | 9.5% |
| Acyclovir | 934 | 7.7% |
| Velcade | 919 | 7.5% |
Other products listed in reports where Pomalidomide 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 | Pomalidomide | Thalidomide analog | All reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 12,185 | 516,063 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 2.4% | 0.1% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 1,678 | — | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 93.5% | 63.4% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 226 | 127 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 412 | 261 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 8.5% | 18.9% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Plasma cell myeloma 16.6% | median 5.6% | 0.2% |
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."
Other drugs in the thalidomide analog class
| Drug | Name type | Reports | Latest 12 months | Marked serious |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revlimid | brand | 354,649 | 8,112 | 62.3% |
| Pomalyst | brand | 87,456 | 5,838 | 56.5% |
| Lenalidomide | generic | 61,773 | 13,052 | 74.2% |
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 Pomalidomide reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Pomalidomide?
12,185 reports list Pomalidomide as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 1,678 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 1,586 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Pomalidomide reports?
plasma cell myeloma (16.6%), neutropenia (11.7%), pneumonia (8.5%), off label use (7.1%) and death (6.2%). 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 Pomalidomide was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
93.5% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 22.6% of reports include death and 41.2% 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?
physician (43.1%), other health professional (42.6%) and consumer or non-health professional (8.5%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Pomalidomide rising?
1,678 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, up 51% from 1,111 in 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 Pomalidomide 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 Pomalidomide?
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 Pomalidomide as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (1,586) 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.