Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide side effects: what 2,363 FDA adverse event reports show
Drug class
Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist
Label matched
Famotidine (Famotidine)
Who reports
2,363 reports · 34% serious · 74 with death outcome · 66% female
Used for
Famotidine for oral suspension is indicated in adults for the treatment of: active duodenal ulcer (DU). active gastric ulcer (GU). symptomatic nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). erosive esophagitis due to GERD, diagnosed by biopsy. treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasias). reduction of the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence.
What it is
The active ingredient in famotidine for oral suspension USP is a histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonist. Famotidine is N' -(aminosulfonyl)-3-[[[2-[(diaminomethylene)amino]-4- thiazolyl]methyl]thio] propanimidamide.
Boxed warning
None in the current label
Causality screen of the 29 strongest signals
What the badges mean
- Labeled (related wording) The label describes this effect under different wording (e.g. 'neutropenia' for 'neutrophil count decreased'). Treated as known.
- Reporting / coding artifact An administrative, monitoring or exposure term (product issue, off-label use, 'test normal', overdose...). Not a biological reaction; a high PRR here reflects how reports are coded.
- Not in label — unassessed Not found in the label text, not an artifact pattern. This is a genuine candidate for a formal causality assessment (Bradford Hill / WHO-UMC); it has NOT had one here.
Strongest disproportionality signals
Flagged terms (PRR ≥ 2, χ² ≥ 4, n ≥ 10), ranked by PRR; infinite PRRs (no comparator reports) excluded. The EBGM column is a second, shrinkage-based estimate (MGPS) with its 5th percentile EB05 and the BCPNN IC025; a pair flagged by PRR alone is marked PRR-only and should be read as fragile. The strata column recomputes the PRR on serious reports only and flags pairs whose reports are unusually skewed by sex or come mostly from consumers rather than clinicians. 16 further terms are in the interactive explorer. Reaction links open the term's cross-drug page.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End stage renal disease | 133 | 64.4 54.5–76.0ROR 68.1 · χ² 8,181 / p <1e-300 | 63.4 EB05 54.8 · IC025 +5.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 107.9 | no trial data cached |
| Chronic kidney disease | 483 | 56.1 51.8–60.8ROR 70.2 · χ² 26,025 / p <1e-300 | 55.7 EB05 51.6 · IC025 +5.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 95.7 | no trial data cached |
| Product physical issue | 78 | 34.8 27.9–43.3ROR 35.9 · χ² 2,517 / p <1e-300 | 34.4 EB05 28.4 · IC025 +4.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 97% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Drug effect less than expected | 35 | 22.0 15.8–30.6ROR 22.3 · χ² 680 / p 3e-150 | 21.7 EB05 16.3 · IC025 +3.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Renal injury | 74 | 21.9 17.5–27.4ROR 22.5 · χ² 1,451 / p <1e-300 | 21.7 EB05 17.9 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 36.9 | no trial data cached |
| Product packaging issue | 21 | 20.1 13.1–30.7ROR 20.2 · χ² 361 / p 8e-81 | 19.6 EB05 13.4 · IC025 +3.1 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=1 · 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Tubulointerstitial nephritis | 39 | 18.5 13.5–25.2ROR 18.8 · χ² 626 / p 2e-138 | 18.3 EB05 13.9 · IC025 +3.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 31.2 | no trial data cached |
| Therapeutic response unexpected | 92 | 18.1 14.8–22.1ROR 18.8 · χ² 1,471 / p <1e-300 | 18.0 EB05 15.1 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 1.3 · 97% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Nephropathy | 19 | 18.0 11.5–28.1ROR 18.1 · χ² 287 / p 1e-64 | 17.5 EB05 11.5 · IC025 +2.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 32.3 | no trial data cached |
| Poor quality product administered | 20 | 17.3 11.2–26.9ROR 17.5 · χ² 292 / p 1e-65 | 16.9 EB05 11.3 · IC025 +2.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | 95% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Product taste abnormal | 24 | 15.8 10.6–23.6ROR 16.0 · χ² 318 / p 2e-71 | 15.4 EB05 10.6 · IC025 +2.9 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=2 · 87% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Acute kidney injury (sudden kidney damage) | 257 | 15.0 13.3–16.8ROR 16.7 · χ² 3,353 / p <1e-300 | 14.9 EB05 13.4 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 25.3 · 72% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Gastrooesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux) | 133 | 14.7 12.5–17.3ROR 15.5 · χ² 1,689 / p <1e-300 | 14.6 EB05 12.6 · IC025 +3.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 32.4 · 79% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Accidental overdose | 48 | 11.6 8.8–15.4ROR 11.9 · χ² 456 / p 1e-101 | 11.3 EB05 8.7 · IC025 +2.9 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 23.6 · 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Renal failure (kidney failure) | 174 | 11.5 10.0–13.3ROR 12.4 · χ² 1,671 / p <1e-300 | 11.4 EB05 10.1 · IC025 +3.2 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 19.6 | no trial data cached |
| Dysgeusia (altered taste) | 78 | 9.3 7.4–11.5ROR 9.5 · χ² 567 / p 1e-125 | 9.0 EB05 7.4 · IC025 +2.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.1 · 95% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Expired product administered | 34 | 9.1 6.5–12.7ROR 9.2 · χ² 237 / p 1e-53 | 8.5 EB05 6.2 · IC025 +2.4 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Incorrect product administration duration | 19 | 8.3 5.3–13.0ROR 8.4 · χ² 115 / p 5e-27 | 7.2 EB05 4.8 · IC025 +2.0 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | – | no trial data cached |
| Incorrect drug administration duration | 25 | 7.8 5.3–11.5ROR 7.8 · χ² 141 / p 1e-32 | 7.0 EB05 4.9 · IC025 +2.1 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 3.0 · 96% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Exposure during pregnancy | 53 | 7.5 5.8–9.9ROR 7.7 · χ² 295 / p 2e-66 | 7.2 EB05 5.7 · IC025 +2.4 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | ♀ 100% (drug 66%) · 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Drug effect incomplete | 27 | 6.5 4.5–9.4ROR 6.6 · χ² 120 / p 3e-28 | 5.9 EB05 4.2 · IC025 +1.9 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Dyspepsia (indigestion) | 63 | 5.7 4.5–7.3ROR 5.8 · χ² 240 / p 2e-54 | 5.5 EB05 4.4 · IC025 +2.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 5.5 · 84% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Contraindicated product administered | 18 | 5.3 3.3–8.4ROR 5.3 · χ² 58 / p 1e-14 | 4.7 EB05 3.1 · IC025 +1.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 1.2 | no trial data cached |
| Retching | 12 | 5.0 2.8–8.8ROR 5.0 · χ² 34 / p 2e-9 | 4.3 EB05 2.6 · IC025 +1.1 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.4 | no trial data cached |
| Wrong technique in product usage process | 95 | 4.2 3.4–5.1ROR 4.3 · χ² 227 / p 1e-51 | 4.1 EB05 3.4 · IC025 +1.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 99% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Incorrect dose administered | 97 | 3.8 3.1–4.6ROR 3.9 · χ² 201 / p 6e-46 | 3.8 EB05 3.2 · IC025 +1.6 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 0.3 · 98% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Accidental exposure to product | 37 | 3.3 2.4–4.5ROR 3.3 · χ² 57 / p 3e-14 | 3.2 EB05 2.4 · IC025 +1.1 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Overdose | 56 | 2.3 1.8–3.0ROR 2.3 · χ² 40 / p 1e-10 | 2.3 EB05 1.8 · IC025 +0.7 | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 0.3 · 95% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Extra dose administered | 10 | 2.2 1.2–4.1ROR 2.2 · χ² 6 / p 0.009 | 2.1 EB05 1.2 · IC025 -0.0 PRR-only: not supported by EBGM or IC | Not in label — unassessed | – | no trial data cached |
Trial evidence (ClinicalTrials.gov)
Most frequently reported reactions
By raw co-report count, regardless of disproportionality. Common terms here are often the illness itself or generic outcomes.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic kidney disease | 483 | 56.1 51.8–60.8ROR 70.2 · χ² 26,025 / p <1e-300 | 55.7 EB05 51.6 · IC025 +5.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 95.7 | no trial data cached |
| Acute kidney injury (sudden kidney damage) | 257 | 15.0 13.3–16.8ROR 16.7 · χ² 3,353 / p <1e-300 | 14.9 EB05 13.4 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 25.3 · 72% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Renal failure (kidney failure) | 174 | 11.5 10.0–13.3ROR 12.4 · χ² 1,671 / p <1e-300 | 11.4 EB05 10.1 · IC025 +3.2 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious PRR 19.6 | no trial data cached |
| Gastrooesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux) | 133 | 14.7 12.5–17.3ROR 15.5 · χ² 1,689 / p <1e-300 | 14.6 EB05 12.6 · IC025 +3.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 32.4 · 79% consumer | no trial data cached |
| End stage renal disease | 133 | 64.4 54.5–76.0ROR 68.1 · χ² 8,181 / p <1e-300 | 63.4 EB05 54.8 · IC025 +5.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 107.9 | no trial data cached |
| Incorrect dose administered | 97 | 3.8 3.1–4.6ROR 3.9 · χ² 201 / p 6e-46 | 3.8 EB05 3.2 · IC025 +1.6 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 0.3 · 98% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Wrong technique in product usage process | 95 | 4.2 3.4–5.1ROR 4.3 · χ² 227 / p 1e-51 | 4.1 EB05 3.4 · IC025 +1.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 99% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Therapeutic response unexpected | 92 | 18.1 14.8–22.1ROR 18.8 · χ² 1,471 / p <1e-300 | 18.0 EB05 15.1 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 1.3 · 97% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Dysgeusia (altered taste) | 78 | 9.3 7.4–11.5ROR 9.5 · χ² 567 / p 1e-125 | 9.0 EB05 7.4 · IC025 +2.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.1 · 95% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Product physical issue | 78 | 34.8 27.9–43.3ROR 35.9 · χ² 2,517 / p <1e-300 | 34.4 EB05 28.4 · IC025 +4.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | 97% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Renal injury | 74 | 21.9 17.5–27.4ROR 22.5 · χ² 1,451 / p <1e-300 | 21.7 EB05 17.9 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 36.9 | no trial data cached |
| Dyspepsia (indigestion) | 63 | 5.7 4.5–7.3ROR 5.8 · χ² 240 / p 2e-54 | 5.5 EB05 4.4 · IC025 +2.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 5.5 · 84% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Overdose | 56 | 2.3 1.8–3.0ROR 2.3 · χ² 40 / p 1e-10 | 2.3 EB05 1.8 · IC025 +0.7 | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 0.3 · 95% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Exposure during pregnancy | 53 | 7.5 5.8–9.9ROR 7.7 · χ² 295 / p 2e-66 | 7.2 EB05 5.7 · IC025 +2.4 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | ♀ 100% (drug 66%) · 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
| Accidental overdose | 48 | 11.6 8.8–15.4ROR 11.9 · χ² 456 / p 1e-101 | 11.3 EB05 8.7 · IC025 +2.9 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 23.6 · 100% consumer | no trial data cached |
Unlabeled candidate signals
These flagged terms were not found in the FDA label text and do not match an artifact pattern. They are the pairs that would merit a structured assessment (temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across databases, trial or cohort evidence). The screen has not done that; string-matching misses label wording, and a strong PRR can still be stimulated reporting, co-medication, or the disease itself.
- End stage renal disease — n=133, PRR 64.4
- Chronic kidney disease — n=483, PRR 56.1
- Renal injury — n=74, PRR 21.9
- Tubulointerstitial nephritis — n=39, PRR 18.5
- Poor quality product administered — n=20, PRR 17.3
- Gastrooesophageal reflux disease — n=133, PRR 14.7
- Dysgeusia — n=78, PRR 9.3
- Dyspepsia — n=63, PRR 5.7
Want to assess one of these properly? The runbook describes the Bradford Hill / trial-evidence workflow used on the assessment page, and handoff_top1000_signals.csv lists the strongest unassessed pairs across all drugs.
Common questions
What are the most reported side effects of Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide?
In FDA FAERS, the most frequently co-reported reaction terms for Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide are chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, renal failure, gastrooesophageal reflux disease, end stage renal disease, dysgeusia. These are report counts, not rates: FAERS has no denominator, reporting is voluntary and uneven, and a term can be reported because of the illness being treated rather than the drug.
Does Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide have an FDA boxed warning?
No. The FDA label retrieved for Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide has no boxed warning; see the label's Warnings and Precautions for the recognised risks.
Do FAERS signals prove that Famotidine and Carbonate and Hydroxide causes these side effects?
No. A disproportionality signal (PRR, ROR) means a reaction is reported more often with this drug than with others in the database. That can reflect a real effect, but also the disease being treated, stimulated reporting after news or litigation, co-medications, or how reports are coded. Causality needs temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across data sources and, ideally, trial or cohort evidence. This page screens each term against the FDA label and ClinicalTrials.gov results; it does not establish causation.
Sources & methods
- FDA label via openFDA (set ID 04aaf296-f136-29d7-e063-6294a90affe1, effective 20230907; matched on
openfda.generic_name.exact:"FAMOTIDINE") - Bayesian shrinkage measures computed offline over all 1,317,300 cached pairs: BCPNN information component (IC, with Norén closed-form IC025) and MGPS empirical-Bayes geometric mean (EBGM, EB05) with a two-component gamma prior fitted by maximum marginal likelihood (α₁=0.57, β₁=0.02, α₂=1.42, β₂=0.70, w=0.17); unstratified
- FAERS pair statistics from the OpenPV build of 2026-09-14 (openFDA
count=aggregation, fieldpatient.drug.openfda.generic_name.exact, 45 reaction terms, min 3 co-reports); PRR/ROR with 95% CI, chi-square with Yates correction - Serious-only and stratified counts (serious:1, patient.patientsex, primarysource.qualification) from openFDA count queries; serious-only PRR uses the drug serious report total and the term global serious total (N_serious=11,882,979); strata shown only when n ≥ 20
- Seriousness and sex counts from openFDA
count=serious,patient.patientsex,seriousnessdeath
Page generated 2026-10-08. Label and PubChem text are retrieved automatically and may lag the current label; always check the current prescribing information. OpenPV is a beta research tool of the Open Source Medicine Foundation.