Prescription medication · Rapid-Acting Insulin
insulin aspart
Also sold as NovoLog, Fiasp. NovoLog is used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 63,536
- FDA reportsOften reported
- 11
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 81% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- $35.76
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
insulin aspart (NovoLog) is a prescription Rapid-Acting Insulin, more reported than most tracked drugs (63,536 FDA reports), whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (81% less).
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.
insulin aspart (NovoLog) is a prescription Rapid-Acting Insulin. NovoLog is used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes.
NovoLog (insulin aspart) is a rapid-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar in people with diabetes. It works quickly to lower blood sugar levels after meals.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$35.76/unit
Generic Price
$6.95/unit
Generic Savings
81%
Generic Available
Yes (0 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
NovoLog is used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes.
Common side effects
Headache, Accidental injury, Nausea
Key warnings
Never share your NovoLog FlexPen, FlexTouch, PenFill cartridge, or PenFill cartridge device with anyone else, even if the needle is changed.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from insulin aspart's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
NovoLog is a man-made form of insulin that works like the insulin your body naturally makes. It helps sugar (glucose) move from your blood into your cells, where it can be used for energy. This lowers the amount of sugar in your blood.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 63,536 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for insulin aspart, by number of reports
- Blood Glucose Increased
Blood Glucose Increased
10,424 reports
- Nausea 3,724
Nausea
3,724 reports
- Blood Glucose Decreased 3,344
Blood Glucose Decreased
3,344 reports
- Fatigue 2,664
Fatigue
2,664 reports
- Dyspnoea 2,553
Dyspnoea
2,553 reports
- Diarrhoea 2,542
Diarrhoea
2,542 reports
- Vomiting 2,387
Vomiting
2,387 reports
- Dizziness 2,013
Dizziness
2,013 reports
- Weight Decreased 1,843
Weight Decreased
1,843 reports
- Fall 1,828
Fall
1,828 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 insulin aspart 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 insulin aspart sits
insulin aspart has more FDA adverse-event reports than 78% 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 insulin aspart; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 63,536 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
63,536
Reports Mentioning Death
4,425
7.0% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
20,996
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 10,424 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 3,724 |
| 3 | BLOOD GLUCOSE DECREASED | 3,344 |
| 5 | FATIGUE | 2,664 |
| 6 | DYSPNOEA | 2,553 |
| 7 | DIARRHOEA | 2,542 |
| 8 | VOMITING | 2,387 |
| 9 | DIZZINESS | 2,013 |
| 11 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 1,843 |
| 12 | FALL | 1,828 |
| 13 | HEADACHE | 1,813 |
| 14 | MALAISE | 1,789 |
| 15 | PAIN | 1,768 |
| 16 | DEATH | 1,758 |
| 17 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 1,708 |
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
Never share your NovoLog FlexPen, FlexTouch, PenFill cartridge, or PenFill cartridge device with anyone else, even if the needle is changed. Sharing insulin pens or cartridges can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes in your insulin regimen should be made carefully under medical supervision. Low blood sugar can be life-threatening. Monitor your blood sugar regularly. Fluid retention and heart failure can occur if you take NovoLog with thiazolidinediones (TZDs).
Known Drug Interactions
Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. • Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and...
Mechanism: Fluoxetine can make insulin work more strongly, which may cause your blood sugar to drop to a level that is too low.
Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. • Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and...
Mechanism: Both of these medications are used to lower blood sugar, so taking them together increases the chance of your blood sugar falling to a dangerous level.
Drugs That May Increase the Risk of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and sulfonamide antibiotics. • Drugs that may increase the risk of hypoglycemia: antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blocking agents, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), and...
Mechanism: Octreotide can change how your body handles sugar and may increase the blood-sugar-lowering effects of insulin.
Drugs That May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of NOVOLOG Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones. • Drugs that may decrease the blood glucose lowering effect: atypical antipsychotics, corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral...
Mechanism: Albuterol can make insulin less effective at lowering your blood sugar. This means your blood sugar levels might stay higher than they should while using this medication.
Drugs That May Increase or Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of NOVOLOG Drugs: Alcohol, beta-blockers, clonidine, and lithium salts. Drugs That May Blunt Signs and Symptoms of Hypoglycemia Drugs: Beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine and reserpine Intervention: Increased frequency of glucose monitoring may be required when NOVOLOG is concomitantly administered with these drugs. • Drugs that may increase or decrease the blood glucose lowering effect: alcohol, beta-blockers, clonidine, lithium salts, and pentamidine ( 7 ).
Mechanism: Clonidine can cause your blood sugar to either rise or fall and may also hide the physical warning signs of low blood sugar. This makes it harder to tell if your blood sugar is dropping to a dangerous level.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What should I do if my blood sugar is too high?
Can I mix NovoLog with other insulins?
What are the symptoms of low blood sugar?
How often should I check my blood sugar?
What should I do if I have an allergic reaction to NovoLog?
Can other medications affect NovoLog?
What if my pump malfunctions?
Can I use NovoLog if I have kidney or liver problems?
What if I change my injection site?
What happens if I repeatedly inject into the same area?
What are the common side effects of insulin aspart?
Does insulin aspart interact with other medications?
What drug class is insulin aspart?
Is there a generic version of insulin aspart?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for insulin aspart?
Related Medications in Rapid-Acting Insulin
Other drugs grouped near insulin aspart - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
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alogliptin
Nesina
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bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
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canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with insulin aspart →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
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Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for insulin aspart: 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: 63,536.
- metronidazole Δ 195 reports · Nitroimidazole Antibiotic 63,731reports
- doxycycline hyclate Δ 226 reports · Tetracycline Antibiotic (Antimalarial) 63,762reports
- fluoxetine Δ 583 reports · Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) 64,119reports
- calcium carbonate Δ 868 reports · Calcium Supplement / Antacid 64,404reports
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 6.96%.
- mupirocin Δ 0.05 pts · 12,758 reports · Topical Antibiotic 7.02%death share
- hydrochlorothiazide Δ 0.06 pts · 140,497 reports · Thiazide Diuretic 7.03%death share
- cholestyramine Δ 0.06 pts · 11,539 reports · Bile Acid Sequestrant 7.03%death share
- brodalumab Δ 0.07 pts · 1,890 reports · Anti-IL-17 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody 7.04%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
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 insulin aspart
The FDA label for insulin aspart (sold under brand names such as NovoLog, Fiasp) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Rapid-Acting Insulin class. NovoLog is used to improve blood sugar control in adults and children with diabetes. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Accidental injury, Nausea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 63,536 voluntary reports. The database also lists 11 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $6.95 versus $35.76 for the brand - a 81% generic savings.
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). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
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 15, 2023
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