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What are the possible side effects of a drug and where can I find the most current information about my drug?
All drugs, whether prescription or over-the-counter, can have side effects. Side effects can range from headaches and upset stomach to those more serious such as liver or kidney injury, heart problems, or even death. Some side effects can be predicted in some people based on what occurred during the drug’s testing, but some rare events occur unexpectedly when many more people take the drug after it is approved.
The best way to know the possible side effects from a drug is to read the drug label. The label is the most complete single source of information on the drug. The label for most FDA-approved prescription drugs, including the full prescribing information (package insert), can be found at
- FDA’s Web page Drugs@FDA
- the Web site DailyMed, which is provided by the National Library of Medicine as a public service and does not accept advertisements.
For OTC drugs, side effects are included in the “Drug Facts” printed on the outer wrapper or container of the drug.
- Where can I find information about adverse reactions to a medicine prescribed for my child?
- Where can I find information about medicines prescribed for my child?
- Materials from Webinar on Access to Investigational Drugs
- FDA Basics Webinar: "Mini-Sentinel," FDA's New Tool for Monitoring the Safety of FDA-Approved Medical Products
- How FDA Evaluates Regulated Products: Drugs
- FDA Webinar on Prescription Drug Shortages
- FDA Webinar on "Bad Ads" Program
- FDA Basics Webinar on Generic Drugs
- FDA Basics Videos: Tim Coté on Orphan Drugs
- What is an FDA Drug Safety Communication?
- What is counterfeit medicine?
- FDA Basic Video: Interview with John Jenkins on New Drugs (Video)
- What are unapproved drugs and why are they on the market?
- How can I stay better informed about drugs? Is there a reliable website FDA recommends?
- How do I discard medicine that I no longer need, do I just throw it in the garbage?
- How do I report a bad reaction to medicine or medication error to FDA?
- Does FDA approve the proprietary names of prescription drugs?
- What does FDA require drug manufacturers to do to prevent contaminated drugs? If contamination occurs, how must they correct the problem?
- How does FDA help consumers when drug shortages happen?
- Does FDA approve the information given out by pharmacies when I pick up my medicine?
- How does FDA decide when a drug is not safe enough to stay on the market?
- How do I find out if a drug is approved? Is there a Web site I can go to?
- What is the approval process for a new prescription drug?
- What is a Warning Letter?
- Can FDA ban direct-to-consumer drug advertising?
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