This grade answers one narrow question: how strong is the public evidence and safety record behind this drug, and how clean is its money trail and court record? It is not a verdict on whether the drug is right for you.
Warnings the FDA chose to announce publicly after approval, as opposed to quiet label edits. Class-wide items name the drug's class, not this drug specifically.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Benzonatate Capsule is indicated for the symptomatic relief of cough.
CONTRAINDICATIONS Hypersensitivity to benzonatate or related compounds.
WARNINGS Hypersensitivity Severe hypersensitivity reactions (including bronchospasm, laryngospasm and cardiovascular collapse) have been reported which are possibly related to local anesthesia from sucking or chewing the capsule instead of swallowing it. Severe reactions have required intervention with vasopressor agents and supportive measures. Psychiatric Effects Isolated instances of bizarre behavior, including mental confusion and visual hallucinations, have also been reported in patients taking Benzonatate Capsule in combination with other prescribed drugs. Accidental Ingestion and Death in Children Keep Benzonatate Capsules out of reach of children. Accidental ingestion of Benzonatate Capsules resulting in death has been reported in children below age 10. Signs and symptoms of overdose have been reported within 15-20 minutes and death has been reported within one hour of ingestion. If accidental ingestion occurs, seek medical attention immediately (see OVERDOSAGE ).
ADVERSE REACTIONS Potential Adverse Reactions to Benzonatate Capsules may include: Hypersensitivity reactions including bronchospasm, laryngospasm,cardiovascular collapse possibly related to local anesthesia from chewing or sucking the capsule. CNS: sedation; headache; dizziness; mental confusion; visual hallucinations. GI: constipation; nausea; GI upset. Dermatologic: pruritus; skin eruptions. Other: nasal congestion; sensation of burning in the eyes; vague "chilly" sensation; numbness of the chest; hypersensitivity. Deliberate or accidental overdose has resulted in death, particularly in children.
Source: FDA SPL label for Benzonatate (Rising Pharma Holdings, Inc.), effective 20240607. Full label on DailyMed.
These are counts of reports people filed, not rates of harm. Anyone can file one, and nobody checks whether the drug was the cause. Millions of doses are taken for every report sent, so the useful part is how this drug compares with the average across all drugs.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,156 | 2,088 | 1,443 | 1,397 | 1,422 | 1,498 | 1,946 | 884 |
25,444 reports blaming this drug for every million Medicare prescriptions filled, which is 9.2× the typical drug on this site. (4,316 reports in 2024–2026, against 169,630 Medicare fills in one year. This is the one number here that accounts for how many people take the drug.)
Source: the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports are voluntary and unverified. Drugs that are prescribed a lot, in the news, or in lawsuits attract more reports, so the percentages are compared with the whole database to correct for that partly, not fully.
| Date | Class | Firm | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/2023 | Class III | Amerisource Health Services LLC | Superpotent drug: Assay results were slightly above specification at the time zero point. |
| 05/2017 | Class III | Strides Pharma INC | Failed Stability Specifications: Out of Specification results obtained for preservative Methylparaben content. |
| 01/2015 | Class II | American Health Packaging | Failed Tablet/Capsule Specifications; recall initiated by manufacturer due to reports of wet capsules |
| 12/2014 | Class II | Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc | Failed Tablet/Capsule Specifications: Recall due to wet and/or leaking capsules. |
Class I = reasonable probability of serious harm. Class II = temporary or reversible harm. Class III = unlikely to harm. Most generic recalls are manufacturing or labeling defects for one lot, not a verdict on the molecule.
Counts measure how much evidence exists and how transparent it is, not how big the benefit is. For that, ask your prescriber: if 100 people like me took this, how many would get better because of it, and how many would be harmed? (Doctors call these the "number needed to treat" and "number needed to harm.") It differs by condition and is the number drug ads leave out. Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov.
In 2024, drug companies reported $0 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 0 transactions.
No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.
Not named in any federal pharmaceutical settlement of $100M or more on record.
Sources: CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act); Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation pending docket list; DOJ settlements as tabulated on Wikipedia with links to the primary record. State-court and individual suits are not included.
No same-class alternatives found in RxClass.