Prescription medication · Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog)
ganciclovir
Also sold as Cytovene. This medicine treats CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with weak immune systems, including those with AIDS.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 9,877
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 9
- InteractionsFew interactions
- Rx
- Availability
What the data shows
ganciclovir (Cytovene) is a prescription Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog), reported less often than most tracked drugs (9,877 FDA reports), with 9 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
ganciclovir (Cytovene) is a prescription Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog). This medicine treats CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with weak immune systems, including those with AIDS.
Ganciclovir injection is an antiviral medicine. It helps treat and prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
This medicine treats CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with weak immune systems, including those with AIDS.
Common side effects
Fever, Diarrhea, Low white blood cell count
Key warnings
This drug can cause serious side effects.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ganciclovir's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ganciclovir stops CMV from multiplying. It does this by blocking a key enzyme the virus needs to make copies of itself. This helps your body fight off the CMV infection.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 9,877 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ganciclovir, by number of reports
- Cytomegalovirus Infection
Cytomegalovirus Infection
1,170 reports
- Drug Resistance
Drug Resistance
653 reports
- Pyrexia
Pyrexia
590 reports
- Neutropenia
Neutropenia
503 reports
- Pancytopenia
Pancytopenia
503 reports
- Diarrhoea 434
Diarrhoea
434 reports
- Cytomegalovirus Viraemia 413
Cytomegalovirus Viraemia
413 reports
- Pneumonia 411
Pneumonia
411 reports
- Sepsis 400
Sepsis
400 reports
- Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome 379
Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome
379 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for ganciclovir each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where ganciclovir sits
ganciclovir has more FDA adverse-event reports than 39% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is ganciclovir; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 9,877 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2001–2025.
Total Reports
9,877
Reports Mentioning Death
3,034
30.7% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
3,970
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION | 1,170 |
| 4 | DRUG RESISTANCE | 653 |
| 5 | PYREXIA | 590 |
| 7 | NEUTROPENIA | 503 |
| 8 | PANCYTOPENIA | 503 |
| 9 | DIARRHOEA | 434 |
| 10 | CYTOMEGALOVIRUS VIRAEMIA | 413 |
| 11 | PNEUMONIA | 411 |
| 12 | SEPSIS | 400 |
| 13 | MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 379 |
| 14 | RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 378 |
| 15 | CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION REACTIVATION | 355 |
| 16 | THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 351 |
| 17 | LEUKOPENIA | 331 |
| 18 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 320 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
This drug can cause serious side effects. It can lower blood cell counts, possibly leading to severe infections or bleeding. It may also harm fertility in both men and women. Ganciclovir can cause birth defects and may increase your risk of cancer. Talk to your doctor about these risks.
Known Drug Interactions
Cyclosporine or amphotericin B Unknown Monitor renal function when Ganciclovir Injection is coadministered with cyclosporine or amphotericin B because of potential increase in serum creatinine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. (7) Cyclosporine or amphotericin B: When coadministered with ganciclovir, the risk of nephrotoxicity may be increased.
Mechanism: Taking these two drugs together increases the risk of kidney damage. This can be seen through an increase in creatinine, a waste product that the kidneys usually filter out.
Cyclosporine or amphotericin B Unknown Monitor renal function when Ganciclovir Injection is coadministered with cyclosporine or amphotericin B because of potential increase in serum creatinine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. (7) Cyclosporine or amphotericin B: When coadministered with ganciclovir, the risk of nephrotoxicity may be increased.
Mechanism: Both of these medications can be toxic to the kidneys when used at the same time. This combination may lead to a rise in serum creatinine levels, indicating kidney stress.
Other drugs associated with myelosuppression or nephrotoxicity (e.g., dapsone, doxorubicin, flucytosine, hydroxyurea, pentamidine, tacrolimus, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole, vinblastine, vincristine and zidovudine) Unknown Because of potential for higher toxicity, coadministration with Ganciclovir Injection should be considered only if the potential benefits are judged to outweigh the risks.
Mechanism: Both medications can be hard on the kidneys and may lower your blood cell counts. Using them at the same time increases the chance of these serious side effects.
Probenecid ↑ Ganciclovir Ganciclovir Injection dose may need to be reduced. (7) Probenecid: May increase ganciclovir levels.
Mechanism: Probenecid makes it harder for your body to remove ganciclovir, causing the drug to stay in your system longer.
Some examples of drugs that are eliminated by active tubular secretion include, but are not limited to, acyclovir, cidofovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, valganciclovir, aminoglycosides (e.g., gentamicin), and high-dose or multiple NSAIDs [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] .
Mechanism: These drugs are removed from the body by the kidneys using the same process. Taking them together might slow down how quickly they are cleared from your blood.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What if I am allergic to ganciclovir or valganciclovir?
Will I need blood tests?
Can I take other medicines with ganciclovir?
What should I avoid while taking ganciclovir?
How long will I need to take ganciclovir?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can ganciclovir cure CMV?
What are the signs of a serious allergic reaction?
Does ganciclovir affect fertility?
Can I drive or operate machinery while taking ganciclovir?
What are the common side effects of ganciclovir?
Does ganciclovir interact with other medications?
What drug class is ganciclovir?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ganciclovir?
Related Medications in Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog)
Other drugs grouped near ganciclovir - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acyclovir
Zovirax
Acyclovir is an antiviral medicine.
Compare with ganciclovir →
albendazole
Albenza
Albendazole is a medicine that fights parasites.
Compare with ganciclovir →
amphotericin B
Ambisome, Fungizone
Amphotericin B liposome is an antifungal medicine.
Compare with ganciclovir →
anidulafungin
Eraxis
Eraxis is an antifungal medicine.
Compare with ganciclovir →
atovaquone/proguanil
Malarone
Malarone is a drug used to prevent and treat malaria.
Compare with ganciclovir →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for ganciclovir: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 9,877.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 30.72%.
- hydromorphone Δ 0.01 pts · 90,652 reports · Opioid Analgesic 30.71%death share
- meropenem Δ 0.75 pts · 30,400 reports · Carbapenem Antibiotic 29.97%death share
- aflibercept Δ 1.11 pts · 29,874 reports · Anti-VEGF (Ophthalmic Injection) 29.61%death share
- voriconazole Δ 1.20 pts · 29,380 reports · Azole Antifungal 29.52%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for ganciclovir
The FDA label for ganciclovir (sold under brand names such as Cytovene) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog) class. This medicine treats CMV retinitis, an eye infection, in people with weak immune systems, including those with AIDS. Official labeling lists 14 commonly reported side effects, including Fever, Diarrhea, Low white blood cell count.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 9,877 voluntary reports. The database also lists 9 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: December 21, 2022
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages