Guaifenesin: What to Know Before You Take It
Also known as Mucinex
A patient-focused safety profile with information from public regulatory sources.
In plain language
What Guaifenesin is used for
Uses ■ helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus and make coughs more productive
Read before you decide
Risks and precautions
Risks and warnings
Warnings Do not use ■ for children under 12 years of age
FDA safety data
Most-reported side effects
Based on 199,480 FAERS reports. Reports do not prove the drug caused the effect.
Regulatory record
FDA recalls (17)
Superpotent; sodium benzoate preservative
Recalling firm: PAI Holdings, LLC. dba Pharmaceutical Associates Inc
CGMP Deviations: Released product should have been rejected.
Recalling firm: LNK International, Inc.
Crystallization: Lack of uniformity - a change in texture, chunky, grainy, and small crystal substances inside the bottles.
Recalling firm: Denison Pharmaceuticals, LLC
Crystallization: Lack of uniformity - a change in texture, chunky, grainy, and small crystal substances inside the bottles.
Recalling firm: Denison Pharmaceuticals, LLC
Product mix-up: incorrect product was found inside the G-Supress DX product carton.
Recalling firm: Novis PR, LLC dba Kramer Novis
Boxes mislabeled to read "Decongestant Free", but the product contains Phenylephrine HCI 5mg
Recalling firm: LNK International, Inc.
Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Products
Recalling firm: Efficient Laboratories, Inc.
Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Products
Recalling firm: Efficient Laboratories, Inc.
Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Products
Recalling firm: Efficient Laboratories, Inc.
Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Products
Recalling firm: Efficient Laboratories, Inc.
Defective Delivery System: the dosing cups are missing graduations applicable to certain age groups.
Recalling firm: Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare Holdings
CGMP Deviations: products were manufactured with lack of process validation, cleaning validation, stability studies, and other current good manufacturing practice violations.
Recalling firm: Pharma-Natural Inc.
Common questions
Patient questions
What is Guaifenesin prescribed for?
Uses ■ helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus and make coughs more productive
What are the key warnings and safety precautions for Guaifenesin?
Warnings Do not use ■ for children under 12 years of age
Does Guaifenesin interact with other medications or foods?
Guaifenesin has 0 documented drug interaction(s) and 0 food interaction(s) in clinical databases. Always provide your complete medication list to your clinician.
This information is educational — not medical advice.
This page is provided for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed clinician and should not be used to start, stop, or change any medication. It may be incomplete or out of date, and individual circumstances vary. Always talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about your specific medications and health conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.