List of withdrawn drugs

Some drugs have been withdrawn from the market because of risks to the patients. Usually this has been prompted by unexpected adverse effects that were not detected during Phase III clinical trials and were only apparent from post-marketing surveillance data from the wider patient community.

Significant withdrawals

Drug name	Withdrawn	Remarks
thalidomide	1950s–1960s	Withdrawn due to risk of teratogenicity; returned to market for use in leprosy and multiple myeloma under FDA orphan drug rules
lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)	1950s–1960s	Marketed as a psychiatric cure-all; withdrawn after it became widely used recreationally
diethylstilbestrol	1970s	Withdrawn due to risk of teratogenicity
phenformin and buformin	1978	Withdrawn due to risk of lactic acidosis
ticrynafen	1982	Withdrawn due to risk of hepatitis
zimelidine	1983	Withdrawn worldwide due to risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome
methaqualone	1984	Withdrawn due to risk of addiction and overdose
triazolam	1991	Withdrawn in the United Kingdom due to risk of psychiatric adverse drug reactions. This drug continues to be available in the U.S.
Fen-phen (popular combination of fenfluramine and phentermine)	1997	Phentermine remains on the market, dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine – later withdrawn as caused heart valve disorder
terfenadine	1998	Withdrawn due to risk of cardiac arrhythmias; superseded by fexofenadine
mibefradil	1998	Withdrawn due to dangerous interactions with other drugs
troglitazone	2000	Withdrawn due to risk of hepatotoxicity; superseded by pioglitazone and rosiglitazone
alosetron	2000	Withdrawn due to risk of fatal complications of constipation; reintroduced 2002 on a restricted basis
cisapride	2000s	Withdrawn in many countries due to risk of cardiac arrhythmias
phenylpropanolamine (Propagest, Dexatrim)	2000	Withdrawn due to risk of stroke in women under 50 years of age when taken at high doses (75mg twice daily) for weight loss.
cerivastatin	2001	Withdrawn due to risk of rhabdomyolysis
rapacuronium	2001	Withdrawn in many countries due to risk of fatal bronchospasm
rofecoxib (Vioxx)	2004	Withdrawn due to risk of myocardial infarction
mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall XR)	2005	Withdrawn in Canada due to risk of stroke. See Health Canada press release
hydromorphone extended-release (Palladone)	2005	Withdrawn due to a high risk of accidental overdose when administered with alcohol
pemoline (Cylert)	2005	Withdrawn from U.S. market because of hepatotoxicity
natalizumab (Tysabri)	2005-2006	Voluntarily withdrawn from U.S. market because of risk of Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Returned to market July, 2006.