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.
® (icosapent ethyl) is indicated: as an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, and unstable angina requiring hospitalization in adult patients with elevated triglyceride (TG) levels (≥ 150 mg/dL) and established cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus and 2 or more additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. as an adjunct to diet to reduce TG levels in adult patients with severe (≥ 500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. Limitations of Use: The effect of VASCEPA on the risk for pancreatitis in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia has not been determined. VASCEPA is an ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) indicated: as an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, and unstable angina requiring hospitalization in adult patients with elevated triglyceride (TG) levels(≥ 150 mg/dL) and established cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus and 2 or more additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. ( 1 ) as an adjunct to diet to reduce TG levels in adult patients with severe (≥ 500 mg/dL) hypert...
is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reaction) to VASCEPA or any of its components. VASCEPA is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reaction) to VASCEPA or any of its components. ( 4 )
Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter: VASCEPA was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter requiring hospitalization in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was greater in patients with a previous history of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. ( 5.1 ) Potential for Allergic Reactions in Patients with Fish Allergy: VASCEPA contains ethyl esters of the omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), obtained from the oil of fish. It is not known whether patients with allergies to fish and/or shellfish are at increased risk of an allergic reaction to VASCEPA. Inform patients with known hypersensitivity to fish and/or shellfish about the potential for allergic reactions and advise them to discontinue VASCEPA and seek medical attention if any reactions occur. ( 5.2 ) Bleeding: VASCEPA was associated with an increased risk of bleeding in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The incidence of bleeding was greater in patients receiving concomitant antithrombotic medications, such as aspirin, clopidogrel, or warfarin. ( 5.3 ) 5.1 Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter VASCEPA is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibri...
The following important adverse reactions are described below and elsewhere in the labeling: Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Potential for Allergic Reactions in Patients with Fish Allergy [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Common adverse reactions in the cardiovascular outcomes trial (incidence ≥3% and ≥1% more frequent than placebo): musculoskeletal pain, peripheral edema, constipation, gout, and atrial fibrillation ( 6.1 ) Common adverse reactions in the hypertriglyceridemia trials (incidence ≥1% more frequent than placebo): arthralgia and oropharyngeal pain. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Amarin Pharma, Inc. at 1-855-VASCEPA (1-855-827-2372) or contact the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-...
Source: FDA SPL label for Vascepa (Amarin Pharma Inc.), effective 20260323. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 763 | 1,004 | 1,244 | 794 | 766 | 760 | 951 | 578 |
1,126 reports blaming this drug for every million Medicare prescriptions filled, which is 0.4× the typical drug on this site. (2,286 reports in 2024–2026, against 2,030,537 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/2026 | Class II | Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc | Failed Tablet/Capsule specifications: Red dots inside capsule and melted capsule caused by oxidized Icosapent ethyl, the active ingredient. |
| 05/2025 | Class II | Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc | Failed Tablet/Capsule specifications; a product complaint was reported for burnt or melted capsules. This was determined to be a result of oxidation by leakage of capsule contents. |
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 $199,295 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 300 transactions (Vascepa $199,295).
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.
| Product | Fills | $/fill |
|---|---|---|
| Vascepa | 1,474,990 | $491 |
| Icosapent Ethyl | 555,547 | $258 |
No same-class alternatives found in RxClass.