Reports received by FDA, by month
October 2012: adverse event reports received by FDA
65,419 drug reports (FAERS) and 51,594 device reports (MAUDE).
- 65,419
- drug reports received
- 51,716 a year earlier
- 56,037
- monthly average, preceding 12 months
- 16.7% against the average
- 51,594
- device reports received
- 45,524 a year earlier
FDA received 65,419 drug adverse event reports in October 2012, against 51,716 in the same month a year earlier and a monthly average of 56,037 over the preceding 12 months. The MAUDE device database received 51,594 reports that month (45,524 a year earlier).
The drugs listed most often as suspect products were Enbrel (12,835), Tysabri (1,947) and Vx-950 (1,458), and the reactions recorded most often were drug ineffective (3,446), death (3,308) and fatigue (3,214).
Relative to their own average over the preceding 12 months, the drugs whose report count rose most were Rituxan (16.1× its average), Methadone (12.4× its average) and Aleve Caplet/Tablet Midol Extended Relief Caplet (10.1× its average). A jump in one month usually reflects a batch of reports from a manufacturer, a publicised event or a new product, not a change in what happens to patients.
Drug reports by month, three years to October 2012
Drugs listed most often as suspect products
| Drug | Reports | Share of the month |
|---|---|---|
| Enbrel | 12,835 | 19.6% |
| Tysabri | 1,947 | 3% |
| Vx-950 | 1,458 | 2.2% |
| Ribavirin | 1,328 | 2% |
| Pegasys | 1,185 | 1.8% |
| Gilenya | 1,168 | 1.8% |
| Avonex | 1,028 | 1.6% |
| Nexium | 916 | 1.4% |
| Mirena | 885 | 1.4% |
| Rituxan | 849 | 1.3% |
| Remicade | 796 | 1.2% |
| Lyrica | 713 | 1.1% |
| Incivek | 711 | 1.1% |
| Xeloda | 694 | 1.1% |
| Pradaxa | 677 | 1% |
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."
Largest rises against their own average
| Drug | Reports this month | Times its 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Rituxan | 849 | 16.1× |
| Methadone | 127 | 12.4× |
| Aleve Caplet/Tablet Midol Extended Relief Caplet | 550 | 10.1× |
| Dianeal Low Calcium | 596 | 9.6× |
| Vx-950 | 1,458 | 9.4× |
| Ciclosporin | 145 | 9.3× |
| Acetylsalicylic Acid | 120 | 8.8× |
| Doxorubicin | 230 | 7.4× |
Drugs with at least 50 reports in the month and an average of at least 10 a month over the preceding year. A rise usually reflects a batch of manufacturer reports, a publicised event or a new product.
Reactions recorded most often
| MedDRA term | Reports | Share of the month |
|---|---|---|
| Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected | 3,446 | 5.3% |
| Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term | 3,308 | 5.1% |
| Fatiguetiredness | 3,214 | 4.9% |
| Nauseafeeling sick | 2,683 | 4.1% |
| Headachehead pain | 2,637 | 4% |
| Painpain, site not specified | 2,187 | 3.3% |
| Injection site painpain where the injection was given | 2,000 | 3.1% |
| Dyspnoeashortness of breath | 1,991 | 3% |
| Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell | 1,933 | 3% |
| Arthralgiajoint pain | 1,818 | 2.8% |
| Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools | 1,784 | 2.7% |
| Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness | 1,737 | 2.7% |
| Vomitingbeing sick | 1,639 | 2.5% |
| Pyrexiafever | 1,551 | 2.4% |
| Injection site erythemaredness where the injection was given | 1,523 | 2.3% |
Devices named most often
| Brand | Reports | Share of device reports |
|---|---|---|
| Capsurefix Novus | 1,176 | 2.3% |
| Onetouchping Glucosemgmtsystem | 884 | 1.7% |
| Ot Verio Iq Meter | 800 | 1.6% |
| Sprint Quattro Secure | 791 | 1.5% |
| Tension Free Vaginal Tape | 561 | 1.1% |
| Homechoice | 550 | 1.1% |
| Endotak Reliance | 545 | 1.1% |
| Ot Ping Meter | 542 | 1.1% |
| Animas Insulin Infusion Pump | 528 | 1% |
| Ot Ultralink Meter | 512 | 1% |
Questions about October 2012
How many adverse event reports did FDA receive in October 2012?
65,419 drug reports are in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, and 51,594 device reports in the MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026. The same month a year earlier has 51,716 drug reports.
Which drugs were listed most often?
Enbrel (12,835), Tysabri (1,947), Vx-950 (1,458), Ribavirin (1,328) and Pegasys (1,185).
Which reactions were recorded most often?
drug ineffective (3,446), death (3,308), fatigue (3,214), nausea (2,683) and headache (2,637).
Can the count for a month still change?
Yes. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Older months change little.
Does a busy month mean something happened that month?
Not by itself. The date is when FDA received the report, not when the event occurred, and volume follows manufacturer batches, product launches and publicity. 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."
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. 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.