# FDA API: Get reported side effects

> Lists the most frequently reported reaction terms for a brand or generic medicine in FDA adverse-event reports, with counts and the share of all matching reports. Reports do not establish causation.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by FDA.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/get-reported-side-effects
- Method: `open.fda.gov/get_reported_side_effects`, version 1
- Website: open.fda.gov
- Returns: total reports, serious percent, reaction terms with counts and shares, FDA result links
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `medicine` | string | yes | `"Ozempic"` | Brand or generic medicine name, for example Ozempic. |
| `max_results` | integer | no |  | Maximum number of reaction terms to show, for example 20. Default 20. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 23, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "medicine": "Ozempic"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "reactions": [
    {
      "page_url": "https://api.fda.gov/drug/event.json?search=%28patient.drug.medicinalproduct.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.brand_name.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.generic_name%3A%22OZEMPIC%22%29+AND+patient.reaction.reactionmeddrapt.exact%3A%22NAUSEA%22&limit=10",
      "reaction": "Nausea",
      "report_count": 9744,
      "share_of_all_reports_percent": 14.76
    },
    {
      "page_url": "https://api.fda.gov/drug/event.json?search=%28patient.drug.medicinalproduct.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.brand_name.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.generic_name%3A%22OZEMPIC%22%29+AND+patient.reaction.reactionmeddrapt.exact%3A%22OFF+LABEL+USE%22&limit=10",
      "reaction": "Off label use",
      "report_count": 6941,
      "share_of_all_reports_percent": 10.51
    },
    {
      "page_url": "https://api.fda.gov/drug/event.json?search=%28patient.drug.medicinalproduct.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.brand_name.exact%3A%22OZEMPIC%22+OR+patient.drug.openfda.generic_name%3A%22OZEMPIC%22%29+AND+patient.reaction.reactionmeddrapt.exact%3A%22VOMITING%22&limit=10",
      "reaction": "Vomiting",
      "report_count": 6336,
      "share_of_all_reports_percent": 9.59
    }
  ],
  "total_reports": 66038,
  "causality_note": "These reports do not prove the medicine caused the reaction. Reporting rates cannot be used to estimate the chance of a side effect.",
  "medicine_name_matched": "Ozempic",
  "serious_reports_percent": 49.05
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"open.fda.gov/get_reported_side_effects","input":{"medicine":"Ozempic"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- What are the most commonly reported side effects of Lipitor in FDA adverse event reports?
- Show me the top 15 reaction terms reported for metformin with their counts and percentages.
- how many FDA adverse event reports mention nausea for Zoloft and what share of all reports is that
- Which reactions are most often logged for ibuprofen in the FDA reporting database, and what fraction of reports were serious?
- Give me the leading reported reaction terms for Ozempic on fda.gov, limited to 25 results.

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "medicine"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "medicine": {
      "type": "string",
      "maxLength": 120,
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Brand or generic medicine name, for example Ozempic."
    },
    "max_results": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 20,
      "maximum": 100,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Maximum number of reaction terms to show, for example 20."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "medicine_name_matched",
    "total_reports",
    "serious_reports_percent",
    "causality_note",
    "reactions"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "reactions": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "reaction",
          "report_count",
          "share_of_all_reports_percent",
          "page_url"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "page_url": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "FDA results for reports matching this medicine and reaction."
          },
          "reaction": {
            "type": "string",
            "description": "FDA reaction term in words."
          },
          "report_count": {
            "type": "integer",
            "description": "Number of matching reports listing this reaction."
          },
          "share_of_all_reports_percent": {
            "type": "number",
            "description": "Percentage of all matching reports listing this reaction."
          }
        }
      },
      "description": "Reaction terms, ordered by report count from highest to lowest. Some terms describe use or reporting rather than symptoms."
    },
    "total_reports": {
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "Total FDA adverse-event reports mentioning the medicine."
    },
    "causality_note": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Caution about interpreting reports."
    },
    "medicine_name_matched": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Medicine name used to find matching reports."
    },
    "serious_reports_percent": {
      "type": "number",
      "description": "Percentage of matching reports marked serious."
    }
  }
}
```

## See more

- [FDA API: Search drug recalls](https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/search-drug-recalls.md): Finds FDA drug enforcement recalls by medicine or company name, newest first, with status, class, reason and quantity. Recent recalls may not yet appear.
- [FDA API: Get drug label](https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/get-drug-label.md): Finds the latest FDA drug label for a brand or generic medicine and returns its uses, directions, warnings, ingredients and a DailyMed link.
- [FDA API: Search food recalls](https://fous.com/methods/open.fda.gov/search-food-recalls.md): Finds FDA food recall enforcement reports by product, brand, or allergen, newest first. Reports are updated weekly and recall statuses may lag.
- [FDA API: Search medical device recalls](https://fous.com/methods/fda.gov/search-device-recalls.md): Finds FDA medical device recalls whose product description or recalling company matches a phrase, newest first, with the recall class and its health-risk meaning from each FDA recall page. An optional start date limits recalls to those initiated on or after it.
- [Drugs.com API: Get drug overview](https://fous.com/methods/drugs.com/get-drug.md): Looks up a medicine by brand or generic name on Drugs.com and returns a plain-language overview: class, uses, availability, schedule, dosage forms, side effects, and pregnancy and breastfeeding notes.
- [Drugs.com API: Check drug interactions](https://fous.com/methods/drugs.com/check-drug-interactions.md): Checks 2 to 10 medicine names together on the Drugs.com interaction checker and returns drug-to-drug interactions and food or lifestyle warnings, most severe first, plus the names it could not recognise.
- [Drugs.com API: Get drug prices](https://fous.com/methods/drugs.com/get-drug-prices.md): Gets the US cash prices Drugs.com lists for a brand or generic medicine by strength, dosage form and quantity, optionally filtered. Where a range is listed the lower price is returned.
- [NIH API: Search PubMed articles](https://fous.com/methods/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search-articles.md): Finds PubMed medical and life-science articles by topic, with publication details and free full-text links when PubMed confirms them.
- [All FDA methods](https://fous.com/methods/fda.gov.md)