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  5. How Consumers Can Report an Adverse Event or Serious Problem to FDA
  1. Reporting Serious Problems to FDA

How Consumers Can Report an Adverse Event or Serious Problem to FDA

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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

Use one of the methods below to submit voluntary adverse event reports to the FDA:

Guides to Reporting Problems to FDA

Related Information for Consumers

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