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.
Listed on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines: a global expert panel judged it among the medicines a health system should always have, on evidence of value, not marketing.
is a corticosteroid indicated for the treatment of: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in adults. ( 1.1 ) Chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) in adults. ( 1.2 ) 1.1 Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps XHANCE is indicated for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in adults. 1.2 Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyps XHANCE is indicated for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) in adults.
is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 ) and Description ( 11 )] . Hypersensitivity to any ingredient in XHANCE. ( 4 )
Local Nasal Adverse Reactions: epistaxis, erosion, ulceration, septal perforation, Candida albicans infection, and impaired wound healing. Monitor patients periodically for signs of adverse effects on the nasal mucosa. Avoid use in patients with recent nasal ulcerations, nasal surgery, or nasal trauma. ( 5.1 ) Glaucoma and Cataracts may occur with long-term use. Consider referral to an ophthalmologist in patients who develop ocular symptoms or use XHANCE long-term. ( 5.2 ) Hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema, urticaria, contact dermatitis, rash, hypotension, and bronchospasm) have been reported after administration of fluticasone propionate. Discontinue XHANCE if such reactions occur. ( 5.3 ) Immunosuppression and Risk of Infection: potential increased susceptibility to or worsening of infections (e.g., existing tuberculosis; fungal, bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection; ocular herpes simplex). Use with caution in patients with these infections. More serious or even fatal course of chickenpox or measles can occur in susceptible patients. ( 5.4 ) Hypercorticism and adrenal suppression may occur with very high dosages or at the regular dosage in susceptible ...
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Local Nasal Adverse Reactions: [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Glaucoma and Cataracts [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Hypersensitivity Reactions including Anaphylaxis [see Contraindications ( 4 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Immunosuppression and Risk of Infection [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Hypercorticism and Adrenal Suppression [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] Reduction in Bone Mineral Density [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )] Effect on Growth [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 )] CRSwNP: The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 3%) are epistaxis, nasal septal ulceration, nasopharyngitis, nasal mucosal erythema, nasal mucosal ulcerations, nasal congestion, acute sinusitis, nasal septal erythema, headache, and pharyngitis. ( 6.1 ) CRSsNP: The most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 3%) are epistaxis, headache, and nasopharyngitis ( 6.1 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact OptiNose US, Inc. at 1-833-678-6673 and safety@optinose.com or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because c...
Indications and Usage ( 1.2 ) 03/2024
Source: FDA SPL label for XHANCE (OptiNose US, Inc.), effective 20260112. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14,848 | 14,509 | 13,003 | 11,036 | 11,237 | 12,235 | 12,167 | 5,917 |
2,177 reports blaming this drug for every million Medicare prescriptions filled, which is 0.8× the typical drug on this site. (30,226 reports in 2024–2026, against 13,881,088 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/2021 | Class II | Cardinal Health Inc. | CGMP Deviations: Intermittent exposure to temperature excursion during storage. |
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 $1,294,173 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 14,036 transactions (Xhance $1,294,173).
No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.
Settlements of $100M+ in which this drug (Flovent) was a named product, as recorded by the Department of Justice. A settlement resolves allegations; civil settlements are not admissions and not findings of wrongdoing. They are shown because off-label promotion cases describe how the evidence many prescribers saw was shaped.
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.
| Product | Fills | $/fill |
|---|---|---|
| Fluticasone Propionate | 12,849,868 | $15 |
| Arnuity Ellipta | 659,581 | $303 |
| Fluticasone Propionate HFA | 312,596 | $299 |
| Flovent HFA | 27,166 | $333 |
| Xhance | 25,053 | $796 |
| Flovent Diskus | 5,772 | $252 |
| Armonair Digihaler | 1,052 | $319 |
Same ATC pharmacological class, graded ones first, best grade at the top. Being in the same class does not make them interchangeable for your condition; it makes them worth asking about.