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dronabinol Side Effects

Also known as: Marinol

Analysis of 7,819 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

7,819

Death-Related

1,639

21.0% of reports

Hospitalizations

3,063

39.2% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

NAUSEA
878
FATIGUE
696
DIARRHOEA
604
DEATH
593
VOMITING
580
OFF LABEL USE
490
DECREASED APPETITE
446
PAIN
427
WEIGHT DECREASED
413
DYSPNOEA
377
ASTHENIA
375
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
319
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS
314
HEADACHE
310
PNEUMONIA
302
DRUG ABUSE
282
DEHYDRATION
281
DIZZINESS
258
ANXIETY
256
PYREXIA
235

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 3,556 (48%)
Male 3,814 (52%)
Unknown 7

Age Distribution

0-17 246 (5%)
18-44 1,401 (27%)
45-64 1,885 (36%)
65-74 987 (19%)
75+ 688 (13%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 1,639 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 586
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 258
DRUG ABUSE 188
OFF LABEL USE 99
POISONING 93
NAUSEA 88
OVERDOSE 86
FATIGUE 85
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 85
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 71
PNEUMONIA 69
DECREASED APPETITE 67
DISEASE PROGRESSION 64
ASTHENIA 62
DIARRHOEA 62
DYSPNOEA 58
PULMONARY OEDEMA 58
DRUG INTERACTION 57
DEHYDRATION 56
VOMITING 56

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 3,063 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
NAUSEA 441
VOMITING 365
DIARRHOEA 336
FATIGUE 328
PNEUMONIA 248
DEHYDRATION 243
DYSPNOEA 228
WEIGHT DECREASED 222
ASTHENIA 218
DECREASED APPETITE 217
PYREXIA 185
OFF LABEL USE 178
PAIN 177
HEADACHE 154
SEPSIS 152
ABDOMINAL PAIN 147
FALL 146
ANAEMIA 142
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 130
HYPOTENSION 127

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About dronabinol Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 7,819 voluntary reports linked to dronabinol and its brand equivalents (Marinol), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 1,639 (21.0%) listed death as an outcome and 3,063 (39.2%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 48% were female and 52% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 1,885 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is nausea with 878 submissions, followed by fatigue and diarrhoea.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.