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tasimelteon Side Effects

Also known as: Hetlioz

Analysis of 5,762 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2014 to 2025.

Total Reports

5,762

Death-Related

166

2.9% of reports

Hospitalizations

281

4.9% of reports

Top Indication

Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,635
INSOMNIA
727
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE
480
MIDDLE INSOMNIA
412
SOMNOLENCE
408
HEADACHE
384
NIGHTMARE
268
ABNORMAL DREAMS
223
FATIGUE
222
THERAPEUTIC PRODUCT EFFECT DECREASED
196
SLEEP DISORDER
188
INAPPROPRIATE SCHEDULE OF PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION
179
INCORRECT PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION DURATION
165
POOR QUALITY SLEEP
154
INITIAL INSOMNIA
153
NAUSEA
145
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION
138
DEATH
129
FEELING ABNORMAL
125
MALAISE
122

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 3,267 (57%)
Male 2,465 (43%)

Age Distribution

0-17 25 (1%)
18-44 582 (22%)
45-64 1,272 (49%)
65-74 518 (20%)
75+ 221 (8%)

Reporting Trend by Year

14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 166 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 129
CARDIAC ARREST 4
PNEUMONIA 4
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE 3
COMPLETED SUICIDE 3
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 3
SEPSIS 3
ACCIDENT 2
CARDIAC FAILURE 2
CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDER 2
DYSPHAGIA 2
HYPOTENSION 2
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 2
PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION 2
PULMONARY EMBOLISM 2
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 2
ACCIDENTAL DEATH 1
ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 1
AORTIC ANEURYSM 1
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS CORONARY ARTERY 1

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 281 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
FALL 28
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION 23
PNEUMONIA 18
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 16
DRUG DOSE OMISSION 13
INSOMNIA 12
CARDIAC DISORDER 10
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 10
SOMNOLENCE 10
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 10
MALAISE 9
SEIZURE 9
MIDDLE INSOMNIA 8
DIZZINESS 7
NIGHTMARE 7
SEPSIS 7
THROMBOSIS 7
VOMITING 7
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT 6
CHEST PAIN 6

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About tasimelteon Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 5,762 voluntary reports linked to tasimelteon and its brand equivalents (Hetlioz), spanning 2014 through 2025. Of those, 166 (2.9%) listed death as an outcome and 281 (4.9%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 57% were female and 43% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 1,272 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 1,635 submissions, followed by insomnia and product dose omission issue.

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.