Reports received by FDA, by month
January 2020: adverse event reports received by FDA
134,689 drug reports (FAERS) and 118,973 device reports (MAUDE).
- 134,689
- drug reports received
- 118,985 a year earlier
- 119,516
- monthly average, preceding 12 months
- 12.7% against the average
- 118,973
- device reports received
- 88,126 a year earlier
FDA received 134,689 drug adverse event reports in January 2020, against 118,985 in the same month a year earlier and a monthly average of 119,516 over the preceding 12 months. The MAUDE device database received 118,973 reports that month (88,126 a year earlier).
The drugs listed most often as suspect products were Humira (3,096), Revlimid (2,349) and Methotrexate (2,239), and the reactions recorded most often were drug ineffective (12,984), off label use (6,348) and death (5,868).
Relative to their own average over the preceding 12 months, the drugs whose report count rose most were Trikafta (13.6× its average), BOTOX Cosmetic (11× its average) and Tenofovir disoproxil (10.4× 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 2020
Drugs listed most often as suspect products
| Drug | Reports | Share of the month |
|---|---|---|
| Humira | 3,096 | 2.3% |
| Revlimid | 2,349 | 1.7% |
| Methotrexate | 2,239 | 1.7% |
| Otezla | 2,193 | 1.6% |
| BOTOX Cosmetic | 2,180 | 1.6% |
| Enbrel | 2,127 | 1.6% |
| Cosentyx | 2,070 | 1.5% |
| Ampyra | 2,028 | 1.5% |
| Xeljanz | 2,004 | 1.5% |
| Botox | 1,469 | 1.1% |
| Prednisone | 1,426 | 1.1% |
| Dupixent | 1,396 | 1% |
| Cabometyx | 1,387 | 1% |
| Cimzia | 1,327 | 1% |
| Rituxan | 1,207 | 0.9% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Trikafta | 525 | 13.6× |
| BOTOX Cosmetic | 2,180 | 11× |
| Tenofovir disoproxil | 112 | 10.4× |
| Percocet | 498 | 10.3× |
| Rheumatrex | 236 | 10× |
| Vicodin | 193 | 9.7× |
| Reglan | 105 | 9.4× |
| Beovu | 132 | 8.7× |
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 | 12,984 | 9.6% |
| Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label | 6,348 | 4.7% |
| Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term | 5,868 | 4.4% |
| Fatiguetiredness | 4,780 | 3.5% |
| Nauseafeeling sick | 4,645 | 3.4% |
| Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools | 4,383 | 3.3% |
| Headachehead pain | 3,976 | 3% |
| Painpain, site not specified | 3,586 | 2.7% |
| Rashskin rash | 3,517 | 2.6% |
| Product dose omissiona dose was missed | 3,502 | 2.6% |
| Dyspnoeashortness of breath | 3,414 | 2.5% |
| Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell | 3,240 | 2.4% |
| Erythemaskin redness | 2,952 | 2.2% |
| Pneumonialung infection | 2,770 | 2.1% |
| Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness | 2,728 | 2% |
Devices named most often
| Brand | Reports | Share of device reports |
|---|---|---|
| Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System | 10,062 | 8.5% |
| t:slim X2 Insulin Pump with Basal-IQ Technology | 5,541 | 4.7% |
| Pump MMT-1780KPK 670G Pathway Black MG | 3,434 | 2.9% |
| 640G Insulin Pump MMT-1712K | 2,344 | 2% |
| Dexcom G5 Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System | 2,197 | 1.8% |
| 640G Insulin Pump MMT-1711K | 1,378 | 1.2% |
| CapSureFix Novus Lead MRI SureScan | 1,104 | 0.9% |
| 630G Insulin PUMP MMT-1715K 630G BLACK MG | 995 | 0.8% |
| T Slim G5 System | 892 | 0.7% |
| Ingevity Mri | 809 | 0.7% |
Questions about January 2020
How many adverse event reports did FDA receive in January 2020?
134,689 drug reports are in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, and 118,973 device reports in the MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026. The same month a year earlier has 118,985 drug reports.
Which drugs were listed most often?
Humira (3,096), Revlimid (2,349), Methotrexate (2,239), Otezla (2,193) and BOTOX Cosmetic (2,180).
Which reactions were recorded most often?
drug ineffective (12,984), off label use (6,348), death (5,868), fatigue (4,780) and nausea (4,645).
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.