Prescription medication · Prokinetic / Antiemetic
metoclopramide
Also sold as Reglan. This medicine treats heartburn caused by acid reflux when other treatments don't work.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 53,266
- FDA reportsOften reported
- 23
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 2
- Recall records
What the data shows
metoclopramide (Reglan) is a prescription Prokinetic / Antiemetic, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (53,266 FDA reports), with 23 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.
metoclopramide (Reglan) is a prescription Prokinetic / Antiemetic. This medicine treats heartburn caused by acid reflux when other treatments don't work.
Metoclopramide is a drug that helps with stomach problems. It can help food move faster through your stomach and reduce nausea.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.05/unit
Generic Available
Yes (12 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats heartburn caused by acid reflux when other treatments don't work.
Common side effects
Restlessness, Drowsiness, Fatigue
Key warnings
Metoclopramide can cause a serious movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from metoclopramide's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Metoclopramide helps your stomach muscles move faster. This helps food empty from your stomach more quickly. It also blocks a chemical in your brain that causes nausea.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 53,266 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for metoclopramide, by number of reports
- Tardive Dyskinesia
Tardive Dyskinesia
13,205 reports
- Extrapyramidal Disorder
Extrapyramidal Disorder
11,628 reports
- Nervous System Disorder
Nervous System Disorder
7,175 reports
- Dystonia
Dystonia
6,661 reports
- Pain 4,666
Pain
4,666 reports
- Nausea 3,909
Nausea
3,909 reports
- Economic Problem 3,755
Economic Problem
3,755 reports
- Anxiety 3,176
Anxiety
3,176 reports
- Vomiting 3,128
Vomiting
3,128 reports
- Movement Disorder 2,869
Movement Disorder
2,869 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 metoclopramide 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 metoclopramide sits
metoclopramide has more FDA adverse-event reports than 74% 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 metoclopramide; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 53,266 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1995–2025.
Total Reports
53,266
Reports Mentioning Death
7,091
13.3% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
24,739
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TARDIVE DYSKINESIA | 13,205 |
| 2 | EXTRAPYRAMIDAL DISORDER | 11,628 |
| 3 | NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDER | 7,175 |
| 4 | DYSTONIA | 6,661 |
| 5 | PAIN | 4,666 |
| 6 | NAUSEA | 3,909 |
| 7 | ECONOMIC PROBLEM | 3,755 |
| 8 | ANXIETY | 3,176 |
| 9 | VOMITING | 3,128 |
| 10 | MOVEMENT DISORDER | 2,869 |
| 11 | ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING IMPAIRED | 2,759 |
| 12 | DIARRHOEA | 2,650 |
| 13 | DYSKINESIA | 2,561 |
| 14 | INCORRECT DRUG ADMINISTRATION DURATION | 2,488 |
| 15 | DEFORMITY | 2,327 |
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
Metoclopramide can cause a serious movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia. This may not go away even after you stop taking the medicine. The risk of tardive dyskinesia increases with long-term use and high doses. Call your doctor right away if you have uncontrolled muscle movements.
Known Drug Interactions
Interaction Drug Interaction Rifabutin, phenytoin, efavirenz, cimetidine, esomeprazole* Avoid coadministration unless the benefit outweighs the risks ( 7.6 , 7.7 , 7.8 , 7.9 ) Other drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 Consider dosage adjustment and monitor for adverse effects and toxicity ( 7.1 , 7.10 , 7.11 ) Digoxin Monitor digoxin plasma concentrations ( 7.12 ) Fosamprenavir, metoclopramide* Monitor for breakthrough fungal infections ( 7.6 , 7.13 ) *The drug interactions with esomeprazole and metoclopramide do not apply to posaconazole tablets. 7.13 Gastrointestinal Motility Agents Concomitant...
Mechanism: Metoclopramide speeds up how fast medicine moves through the digestive system, which can lower the amount of posaconazole that gets absorbed.
Drugs That May Cause Methemoglobinemia When Used with LIDODERM Patients who are administered local anesthetics are at increased risk of developing methemoglobinemia when concurrently exposed to the following drugs, which could include other local anesthetics: Examples of Drugs Associated with Methemoglobinemia : Class Examples Nitrates/Nitrites nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide Local anesthetics articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, procaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine Antineoplastic agents cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea,...
Mechanism: These medicines can both lead to a condition where your blood cannot carry oxygen correctly. Taking them at the same time increases the risk of this serious blood disorder.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Concomitant use with metoclopramide, beta-blockers, or cholinomimetic and anticholinergic drugs is not recommended (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) 7.1 Metoclopramide Due to the risk of additive extrapyramidal adverse reactions, the concomitant use of metoclopramide and rivastigmine tartrate is not recommended.
Mechanism: Both drugs can cause similar side effects related to muscle control and movement. Taking them together increases the risk of developing shaky movements or muscle stiffness.
Other drugs, such as: Magnesium and aluminum hydroxide antacids Metoclopramide May increase tacrolimus whole blood trough concentrations and increase the risk of serious adverse reactions (e.g., neurotoxicity, QT prolongation) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 , 5.10 , 5.11 )] .
Mechanism: Metoclopramide can cause the amount of tacrolimus in your blood to increase. This makes it more likely that you will experience serious side effects from the medication.
Product Clinical Comment on Concomitant Use [See Contraindications (4.1)] ; Predominant Effect/Risk [Hypertensive Reaction (HR) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] ; or Serotonin Syndrome (SS) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] ] Altretamine Use with caution If not otherwise specified in this table, consider avoiding concomitant use (see also information on medication-free intervals , use agent at the lowest appropriate dose, monitor for effects of the interaction, advise the patient to report potential effects, and be prepared to discontinue the agent and treat effects of the...
Mechanism: Using these together can cause a severe increase in blood pressure or a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. They both change the levels of important chemical messengers in your body.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
How long can I take metoclopramide?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can I drink alcohol while taking this medicine?
Does this medicine interact with other drugs?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can I take this if I have seizures?
What if I am elderly?
Can I drive while taking this medicine?
What does 'prokinetic' mean?
What does 'antiemetic' mean?
What are the common side effects of metoclopramide?
Does metoclopramide interact with other medications?
What drug class is metoclopramide?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for metoclopramide?
Has metoclopramide been recalled?
Active Recalls
Presence of foreign tablets/capsules.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: FDA inspection findings resulted in concerns regarding quality control processes
Lowlite Investments, Inc. D/B/A Olympia Pharmacy
Related Medications in Prokinetic / Antiemetic
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aprepitant
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Aprepitant (Emend) is a medicine that helps prevent nausea and vomiting.
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bisacodyl
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bismuth subsalicylate
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cimetidine
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Cimetidine (Tagamet) reduces stomach acid.
Compare with metoclopramide →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for metoclopramide: 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: 53,266.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 13.31%.
- isosorbide dinitrate Δ 0.03 pts · 19,058 reports · Nitrate Vasodilator 13.28%death share
- minocycline Δ 0.08 pts · 11,257 reports · Tetracycline Antibiotic 13.40%death share
- rivaroxaban Δ 0.11 pts · 203,269 reports · Direct Oral Anticoagulant (Factor Xa Inhibitor) 13.20%death share
- spironolactone Δ 0.15 pts · 133,996 reports · Potassium-Sparing Diuretic / Aldosterone Antagonist 13.16%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 metoclopramide
The FDA label for metoclopramide (sold under brand names such as Reglan) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Prokinetic / Antiemetic class. This medicine treats heartburn caused by acid reflux when other treatments don't work. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Restlessness, Drowsiness, Fatigue.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 53,266 voluntary reports. The database also lists 23 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.05.
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 (currently 2 recall records on file), 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: April 11, 2025
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