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Peginterferon Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of peginterferon include fatigue, nausea, and anaemia, based on 81,975 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025.

Peginterferon side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for peginterferon.

1
Fatigue12.4%10,140
2
Nausea9.3%7,619
3
Anaemia9.3%7,596
4
Rash6.8%5,544
5
Headache6.4%5,285
6
White Blood Cell Count Decreased5.6%4,605
7
Pruritus5.5%4,480
8
Influenza Like Illness5.5%4,474
9
Pyrexia5.3%4,318
10
Decreased Appetite4.4%3,587
11
Vomiting4.2%3,466
12
Diarrhoea4.1%3,339
13
Asthenia4.0%3,304
14
Pain3.9%3,198
15
Insomnia3.9%3,164

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that peginterferon caused these reactions.

Report severity

47.5%Serious38,965 reports
20.2%Hospitalizations16,553 reports
3.2%Fatal2,614 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Peginterferon drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside peginterferon. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Ribavirin55.8%45,773
2
Telaprevir20.1%16,454
3
Boceprevir8.0%6,560
4
Sofosbuvir2.5%2,038
5
Simeprevir-sodium0.8%692
6
Interferon0.8%669
7
Dalfampridine0.6%499
8
Dimethyl0.6%464
9
Tenofovir0.3%265
10
Epoetin0.3%222
11
Ruxolitinib0.2%196
12
Ritonavir0.2%185
13
Filgrastim0.2%178
14
Bevacizumab0.2%162
15
Tacrolimus0.2%155

Taken alongside

1
Ribavirin13.9%11,428
2
Acetaminophen2.5%2,027
3
Omeprazole2.0%1,667
4
Amlodipine1.9%1,537
5
Aspirin1.8%1,502
6
Lisinopril1.8%1,477
7
Levothyroxine-sodium1.6%1,333
8
Ibuprofen1.6%1,329
9
Ergocalciferol1.5%1,245
10
Metformin1.4%1,140
11
Gabapentin1.3%1,050
12
Hydrochlorothiazide1.2%970
13
Insulin1.2%959
14
Alprazolam1.2%944
15
Citalopram-hydrobromide1.1%942

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports peginterferon side effects

48.7% of peginterferon adverse event reports involve female patients and 45.8% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 86%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female48.7%
Male45.8%
Unknown5.5%

Age group

< 20.3%
2–110.2%
12–170.3%
18–6486.4%
65+12.8%

What is peginterferon used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking peginterferon when the adverse event was reported.

Acral Lentiginous Melanoma Stage IiiAcute Hepatitis CAcute Hiv InfectionAcute Lymphocytic LeukaemiaAcute Myeloid LeukaemiaAcute Respiratory Distress SyndromeAdenocarcinoma PancreasAdjuvant TherapyAdrenal Gland CancerAdrenogenital SyndromeAdult T-cell Lymphoma/leukaemiaAnaemiaAnaemia Of Chronic DiseaseAngiosarcomaAnogenital Warts

Showing 15 of 496 indications

Peginterferon brand names and reporting trend

Peginterferon is sold under brand names including Sylatron, Pegasys, Plegridy.

Brand names

Sylatron5,922
Pegasys5,898
Plegridy473

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking peginterferon with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.