# FDA Scraper — Recalls, Adverse Events & Drug Labels (`hichemdev/openfda-scraper`) Actor

Scrape official FDA data via openFDA: drug, food and device recalls with classification and reason, adverse event reports, and drug label indications and warnings.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hichemdev/openfda-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Hichem Ben Moussa](https://apify.com/hichemdev) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, News, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 records

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## FDA Scraper — Recalls, Adverse Events & Drug Labels

Scrape **official FDA data** via openFDA: **drug, food and device recalls** (with class and reason), **adverse event reports**, and **drug label** indications and warnings. No API key required.

### What you can do with it

- ⚠️ **Recall monitoring** — track Class I/II/III recalls by firm, product or date
- 🛡️ **Regulatory & compliance intelligence** — watch competitors' enforcement history
- ⚖️ **Legal / insurance research** — adverse event reports by drug or device
- 🏭 **Supply-chain risk** — catch recalls affecting your suppliers early

### Input

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `dataset` | select | Drug/Food/Device **recalls**, drug or device **adverse events**, or **drug labels**. |
| `searchQuery` | string | openFDA expression, e.g. `recalling_firm:Pfizer`, `classification:Class+I`. |
| `dateFrom` / `dateTo` | string | `YYYY-MM-DD` range on the dataset's report date. |
| `maxRecords` | integer | Max records to scrape. |
| `apiKey` | string | Optional free key — raises the limit from 240 to 120,000 requests/day. |

#### Example — recent Class I drug recalls

```json
{ "dataset": "drug-enforcement", "searchQuery": "classification:\"Class I\"", "dateFrom": "2025-01-01", "maxRecords": 500 }
```

### Output (recalls)

```json
{
  "dataset": "drug-enforcement",
  "recallNumber": "D-0123-2026",
  "classification": "Class II",
  "status": "Ongoing",
  "productDescription": "Sterile injectable ...",
  "reasonForRecall": "Lack of Assurance of Sterility",
  "recallingFirm": "ProRx LLC",
  "state": "MS",
  "country": "United States",
  "recallInitiationDate": "2025-10-02",
  "reportDate": "2025-11-05"
}
```

Adverse-event and label datasets return their own tailored fields (reactions, seriousness, patient age/sex; or indications, warnings, dosage).

Export to JSON, CSV, Excel, or pull live via the Apify API.

### Notes

- Uses the **official openFDA API** — authoritative FDA data, no key needed to start.
- Add a **free API key** if you plan high-volume runs (the anonymous limit is 240 requests/day).
- openFDA caps deep paging at ~26,000 records per query; narrow your date range for larger pulls.

# Actor input Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

Which FDA dataset to query.

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

openFDA search expression, e.g. "recalling\_firm:Pfizer" or "classification:Class+I". Leave empty for all records in the date range.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

Start date in YYYY-MM-DD format. Filters on the dataset's report/received date.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

End date in YYYY-MM-DD format.

## `maxRecords` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of records to scrape.

## `apiKey` (type: `string`):

A free openFDA API key raises the rate limit from 240 to 120,000 requests/day. Get one at open.fda.gov/apis/authentication.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional. The openFDA API is public and works without a proxy.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "dataset": "drug-enforcement",
  "dateFrom": "2025-01-01",
  "maxRecords": 20,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "",
    "dateFrom": "2025-01-01",
    "dateTo": "",
    "maxRecords": 20
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hichemdev/openfda-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQuery": "",
    "dateFrom": "2025-01-01",
    "dateTo": "",
    "maxRecords": 20,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hichemdev/openfda-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "",
  "dateFrom": "2025-01-01",
  "dateTo": "",
  "maxRecords": 20
}' |
apify call hichemdev/openfda-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hichemdev/openfda-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/gpRfe6aXcSQzgf8do/builds/blUQFP5BC0blirUzn/openapi.json