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.
Meclizine hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of vertigo associated with diseases affecting the vestibular system in adults. Meclizine hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of vertigo associated with diseases affecting the vestibular system in adults ( 1 ).
Meclizine hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to meclizine or any of the inactive ingredients [see Adverse Reactions (6) and Description (11) ]. Meclizine hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to meclizine or any of the inactive ingredients ( 4 ).
May cause drowsiness: Use caution when driving a car or operating dangerous machinery ( 5.1 ). Potential anticholinergic action: this drug should be prescribed with care to patients with a history of asthma, glaucoma, or enlargement of the prostate gland ( 5.2 ). 5.1 Drowsiness Since drowsiness may occur with use of meclizine hydrochloride tablets, patients should be warned of this possibility and cautioned against driving a car or operating dangerous machinery. Patients should avoid alcoholic beverages while taking meclizine hydrochloride tablets [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] . 5.2 Concurrent Medical Conditions Because of its potential anticholinergic action, meclizine hydrochloride tablets should be used with caution in patients with asthma, glaucoma, or enlargement of the prostate gland.
The following adverse reactions associated with the use of meclizine hydrochloride were identified in clinical studies or postmarketing reports. Because some of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Anaphylactic reaction, drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, and vomiting. On rare occasions blurred vision has been reported. Common adverse reactions are anaphylactic reaction, drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, and vomiting. On rare occasions blurred vision has been reported ( 6 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. at 1-866-850-2876 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Source: FDA SPL label for MECLIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE (Bryant Ranch Prepack), effective 20260608. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,776 | 1,521 | 1,317 | 1,117 | 982 | 1,038 | 1,215 | 588 |
938 reports blaming this drug for every million Medicare prescriptions filled, which is 0.3× the typical drug on this site. (2,839 reports in 2024–2026, against 3,025,148 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 | Amerisource Health Services LLC | Failed tablet specifications. |
| 04/2022 | Class II | Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office | cGMP deviations: Temperature abuse |
| 10/2019 | Class III | Sato Pharmaceutical Inc. | Subpotent Drug |
| 10/2019 | Class III | Sato Pharmaceutical Inc. | Subpotent Drug |
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.
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.