Reporting by Consumers

MedWatch is the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) program for reporting serious reactions, product quality problems, therapeutic inequivalence/failure, and product use errors with human medical products, including drugs, biologic products, medical devices, dietary supplements, infant formula, and cosmetics.

If you think you or someone in your family has experienced a serious reaction to a medical product, you are encouraged to take the reporting form to your doctor. Your health care provider can provide clinical information based on your medical record that can help FDA evaluate your report.

However, we understand that for a variety of reasons, you may not wish to have the form filled out by your health care provider, or your health care provider may choose not to complete the form. Your health care provider is NOT required to report to the FDA. In these situations, you may complete the Online Reporting Form yourself.

You will receive an acknowledgement from FDA when your report is received. Reports are reviewed by FDA staff. You will be personally contacted only if we need additional information.

Submitting Adverse Event Reports to FDA

There are three routes available to submit voluntary adverse event reports to the FDA:

• Online reporting form
• Download a copy of the paper form and either fax it to 1-800-FDA-0178 or mail it using the postage-paid addressed form. (Send only page 1 plus any continuation pages - do not send instruction pages)
• Call FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report by telephone

Guides to Reporting Problems to FDA

• FDA 101: How to Use the Consumer Complaint System and MedWatch (June 10, 2008)
• Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA (June 10, 2008)

Related Information for Consumers

• Report suspected unlawful sale of medical products on the Internet
• If you need information or if you have questions or comments about a medical product, please call the FDA's toll-free information line, 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Press 2, followed by 1 for information, then:
  • for dietary supplements, select 2
  • for drug products, select 3
  • for medical devices, select 4
  • for biologics, including human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products, select 6