remdesivir Side Effects
Also known as: Veklury
Analysis of 13,113 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2018 to 2025.
Total Reports
13,113
Death-Related
3,250
24.8% of reports
Hospitalizations
4,426
33.8% of reports
Top Indication
Covid-19
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 3,250 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 747 |
| COVID-19 | 397 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 384 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 359 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 334 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 253 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 220 |
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 214 |
| COVID-19 PNEUMONIA | 203 |
| SEPTIC SHOCK | 194 |
| HYPOXIA | 158 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 150 |
| HYPOTENSION | 114 |
| ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME | 111 |
| PNEUMONIA | 111 |
| SEPSIS | 111 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 110 |
| ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 107 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE FOR UNAPPROVED INDICATION | 102 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 86 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 4,426 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| OFF LABEL USE | 1,163 |
| COVID-19 | 557 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 488 |
| COVID-19 PNEUMONIA | 314 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE FOR UNAPPROVED INDICATION | 283 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 241 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 228 |
| PNEUMONIA | 175 |
| BRADYCARDIA | 164 |
| SEPTIC SHOCK | 148 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 145 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 142 |
| BRONCHOPULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS | 124 |
| DYSPNOEA | 118 |
| DEATH | 117 |
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 111 |
| ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED | 110 |
| RENAL IMPAIRMENT | 105 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 104 |
| ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED | 101 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About remdesivir Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 13,113 voluntary reports linked to remdesivir and its brand equivalents (Veklury), spanning 2018 through 2025. Of those, 3,250 (24.8%) listed death as an outcome and 4,426 (33.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Covid-19.
Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 40% were female and 60% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 3,630 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is off label use with 2,208 submissions, followed by alanine aminotransferase increased and covid-19.
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.