Reports received by FDA, by month
January 2018: adverse event reports received by FDA
130,911 drug reports (FAERS) and 76,781 device reports (MAUDE).
- 130,911
- drug reports received
- 94,023 a year earlier
- 104,315
- monthly average, preceding 12 months
- 25.5% against the average
- 76,781
- device reports received
- 74,856 a year earlier
FDA received 130,911 drug adverse event reports in January 2018, against 94,023 in the same month a year earlier and a monthly average of 104,315 over the preceding 12 months. The MAUDE device database received 76,781 reports that month (74,856 a year earlier).
The drugs listed most often as suspect products were Humira (7,936), Ampyra (7,707) and Enbrel (4,552), and the reactions recorded most often were drug ineffective (11,109), death (7,766) and alopecia (5,545).
Relative to their own average over the preceding 12 months, the drugs whose report count rose most were Oxymorphone hydrochloride (201.7× its average), Zydone (60.1× its average) and Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen (46.8× 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 January 2018
Drugs listed most often as suspect products
| Drug | Reports | Share of the month |
|---|---|---|
| Humira | 7,936 | 6.1% |
| Ampyra | 7,707 | 5.9% |
| Enbrel | 4,552 | 3.5% |
| Repatha | 4,343 | 3.3% |
| Taxotere | 3,878 | 3% |
| Opana Er | 3,431 | 2.6% |
| Percocet | 3,404 | 2.6% |
| Oxycodone hydrochloride | 3,370 | 2.6% |
| Opana | 3,292 | 2.5% |
| Percodan | 3,284 | 2.5% |
| OxyContin | 3,283 | 2.5% |
| Hydromorphone | 3,246 | 2.5% |
| MS Contin | 2,812 | 2.1% |
| Nucynta | 2,777 | 2.1% |
| Duragesic | 2,623 | 2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oxymorphone hydrochloride | 2,151 | 201.7× |
| Zydone | 1,969 | 60.1× |
| Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen | 921 | 46.8× |
| Kadian | 1,513 | 41.6× |
| Gablofen | 373 | 32.2× |
| Taxotere | 3,878 | 26.7× |
| Roxicodone | 747 | 24.4× |
| Opana Er | 3,431 | 23.2× |
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 | 11,109 | 8.5% |
| Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term | 7,766 | 5.9% |
| Alopeciahair loss | 5,545 | 4.2% |
| Fatiguetiredness | 5,159 | 3.9% |
| Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label | 4,808 | 3.7% |
| Nauseafeeling sick | 4,407 | 3.4% |
| Painpain, site not specified | 4,329 | 3.3% |
| Headachehead pain | 4,181 | 3.2% |
| Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools | 3,653 | 2.8% |
| Drug dose omissiona dose was missed | 3,572 | 2.7% |
| Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell | 3,494 | 2.7% |
| Dyspnoeashortness of breath | 3,394 | 2.6% |
| Anxietyanxiety | 3,187 | 2.4% |
| Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness | 2,985 | 2.3% |
| Falla fall | 2,749 | 2.1% |
Devices named most often
| Brand | Reports | Share of device reports |
|---|---|---|
| Dexcom G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System | 10,055 | 13.1% |
| Animas Vibe | 2,048 | 2.7% |
| LifeVest WCD 4000 System | 1,002 | 1.3% |
| T Slim G5 System | 981 | 1.3% |
| Pump MMT-1780KPK 670G Pathway Black MG | 972 | 1.3% |
| 630G Insulin PUMP MMT-1715K 630G BLACK MG | 961 | 1.3% |
| Ingevity | 905 | 1.2% |
| Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Glucose Monitoring System | 759 | 1% |
| Endotak Reliance | 707 | 0.9% |
| Essure | 587 | 0.8% |
Questions about January 2018
How many adverse event reports did FDA receive in January 2018?
130,911 drug reports are in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, and 76,781 device reports in the MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026. The same month a year earlier has 94,023 drug reports.
Which drugs were listed most often?
Humira (7,936), Ampyra (7,707), Enbrel (4,552), Repatha (4,343) and Taxotere (3,878).
Which reactions were recorded most often?
drug ineffective (11,109), death (7,766), alopecia (5,545), fatigue (5,159) and off label use (4,808).
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.