Curious about the science behind the medicines you’ve been prescribed — and whether that science stands up to scrutiny?
As part of our investigation “FDA Approved — And Ineffective,” we compiled a searchable database of all 429 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between January 2013 and Dec. 31, 2022, and the scientific evidence submitted by drugmakers to demonstrate the drugs were safe and effective.
You can use the following database to evaluate drugmakers’ claims. Each drug is given a color based on how well it met basic criteria used to determine whether they work and are safe. Click here for an explanation of the color ratings.
NOTE: On desktop, use the search icon (🔎) in the upper right-hand corner of the database to search by brand name, generic name, or condition.
Experts assessed the validity of drugmakers’ evidence based on four essential criteria cited in case law and the FDA’s own standards for determining whether drugs work and are safe:
- Control group: Patients taking the drug were compared to a control group given a placebo or a preexisting treatment.
- Clinical endpoint: The studies measured the drug’s effect on how a patient feels, functions, or survives, rather than a surrogate measure for these effects, like a CT scan or blood test.
- Replication: At least two “well-controlled” trials showed the drug was effective.
- Blinding: Subjects in the studies and their doctors didn’t know which patients were on the drug and which were in the control group.
Explanation of color ratings:
- GREEN (4 points): The studies used for FDA approval met all four scientific standards. This does not guarantee that a drug is effective or safe, only that the findings are more likely than not to support the drug manufacturer’s claims.
- YELLOW (3 points): The studies used for FDA approval did not meet one of the four minimal FDA criteria, suggesting the evidence submitted in support of the drug is not optimal.
- RED (0, 1 or 2 points): The study or studies used for FDA approval failed to meet two, three, or all four of the minimal standards, meaning that the evidence submitted is not adequate to verify claims of safety and efficacy.
Click here for an explanation of “Withdrawal Info.”
Click here for the methodology.
Have questions or want to report updates or errors? Email us.
