Etanercept vs Secukinumab: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Etanercept | Secukinumab | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Tumor Necrosis Factor Blocker | Interleukin-17A Antagonist |
| Brand names | Enbrel | Cosentyx |
| FAERS reports | 595,118 | 160,389 |
| Serious | 36% | 40% |
| Death outcome | 17,154 | 8,611 |
| Boxed warning | Yes SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCIES WARNING: SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCIES See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. SERIOUS INFECTIONS | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Etanercept | Secukinumab | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synovitis | 11,207 · PRR 57.3 | 4,134 · PRR 38.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Pemphigus | 8,412 · PRR 73.6 | 3,846 · PRR 58.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hand deformity | 8,536 · PRR 65.9 | 3,628 · PRR 50.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Helicobacter infection | 4,820 · PRR 31.1 | 3,048 · PRR 55.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 4,537 · PRR 56.6 | 3,024 · PRR 91.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Folliculitis | 4,400 · PRR 25.6 | 3,017 · PRR 53.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Muscle injury | 3,852 · PRR 30.6 | 2,384 · PRR 53.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rheumatic fever | 2,908 · PRR 69.9 | 2,562 · PRR 187.4 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,651 · PRR 38.2 | 1,958 · PRR 217.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Bone erosion | 1,731 · PRR 33.1 | 806 · PRR 38.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 1,212 · PRR 56.5 | 1,207 · PRR 211.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 1,027 · PRR 29.7 | 1,022 · PRR 111.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 976 · PRR 32.5 | 943 · PRR 115.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 662 · PRR 43.6 | 726 · PRR 207.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Seronegative arthritis | 444 · PRR 22.6 | 346 · PRR 58.1 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
Labeled signals distinctive to Etanercept
- Injection site warmth — n=10,385, PRR 35.3 Labeled (related wording)
- Injection site haematoma — n=6,063, PRR 24.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Rheumatoid nodule — n=1,295, PRR 30.1 Labeled (related wording)
- Granuloma skin — n=513, PRR 56.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Injection site recall reaction — n=486, PRR 911.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Injection site macule — n=470, PRR 74.5 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Secukinumab
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Etanercept or Secukinumab?
Etanercept has 595,118 FAERS reports and Secukinumab 160,389. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (36% vs 40%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Etanercept and Secukinumab share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for synovitis, pemphigus, hand deformity, helicobacter infection, duodenal ulcer perforation. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Etanercept or Secukinumab safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.