FDA Drug Shortage API

💊 Find FDA drug shortage records by status

Drug Shortage gives hospital pharmacy teams, procurement analysts, healthcare researchers, and developers structured records from the official FDA/openFDA drug shortages feed. Filter by status, drug or ingredient, manufacturer or company, therapeutic category, and source date, then use availability, identifiers, dates, source links, and feed details in your workflow.

• Find matching records with FDA Drug Shortage List by choosing a status and optional filters.
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• Review Current Drug Shortages with the current status and any filters.
• Check a Hydrocodone Shortage 2026 search with hydrocodone as a drug term.
• Check an Oxycodone Shortage 2026 search with oxycodone as a drug term.

🧾 FDA shortage records you can review

Each matching source record is saved as one dataset row. Rows can include the shortage status, drug names, brands, active substances, routes, therapeutic categories, pharmacologic classes, company and manufacturer details, product presentation, availability, identifiers, dates, source links, contact details, and retrieval provenance.

If the same source record matches more than one submitted drug term, the Actor keeps the first eligible match and does not rewrite that row with later matches. Use feedInfo and each row's provenance fields to check source freshness, fetch status, and completeness. runSummary gives counts by therapeutic category and dosage form, along with feed information.

🧭 Filter and run a shortage search

1. Choose a shortage status.
2. Add optional drug, manufacturer, company, or therapeutic-category filters.
3. Choose initial-posting or update for the date window, then add an optional start and end date.
4. Start the Actor and open the dataset, total count, feed information, or run summary.

The public FDA/openFDA feed does not need a buyer-supplied API key. Leave optional scope filters empty to return all available matching results until the source is exhausted.

⚙️ Input

Input fields

Field	Type	What it does
status	string (required)	Chooses current, resolved, planned-discontinuation, or all.
drugTerms	array of strings	Adds one or more drug or ingredient terms. Leave empty to return all available records in the selected status until the source is exhausted.
manufacturerTerms	array of strings	Filters by manufacturer or company names. Leave empty to return all available records in the selected status until the source is exhausted.
therapeuticCategories	array of strings	Filters by therapeutic categories. Leave empty to return all available records in the selected status until the source is exhausted.
dateField	string	Chooses initial-posting or update as the source date used by the date window.
dateFrom	string (YYYY-MM-DD)	Includes the start date in the window. Leave it empty for no lower date bound.
dateTo	string (YYYY-MM-DD)	Includes the end date in the window. Leave it empty for no upper date bound.

There is no result-count limit in this input schema. When a filter is left empty, the run keeps all available matching results until the source is exhausted. Leave both date fields empty to skip date filtering.

Default input example

The input below is copied from a successful current-beta default-input run:

{
  "status": "current",
  "drugTerms": [
    "lidocaine"
  ],
  "dateField": "initial-posting"
}

🧾 Output

Run links

Field	Type	What it does
datasetUrl	string (URL)	Links to the drug shortage records in the default dataset.
totalResults	string	Shows the number of drug shortage records in the run.
feedInfo	string (URL)	Links to freshness, fetch status, and completeness details for the FDA shortage feed.
runSummary	string (URL)	Links to counts grouped by therapeutic category and dosage form, plus feed information.

Dataset rows

The dataset schema requires shortageStatus, drugName, and provenance. Other fields may be absent when the source does not provide them.

Field	Type	What it does
shortageStatus	string	Shows the shortage status reported by FDA/openFDA.
availability	object	Holds source availability details.
availability.status	string	Shows the source availability status.
availability.details	string	Adds extra availability details from the source.
drugName	string	Shows the drug name in the official shortage record.
genericName	string	Shows the generic drug name when available.
brandNames	array of strings	Lists brand names linked to the drug.
activeSubstances	array of strings	Lists active substances linked to the drug.
routes	array of strings	Lists routes of administration linked to the drug.
therapeuticCategories	array of strings	Lists therapeutic categories linked to the drug.
pharmacologicClasses	array of strings	Lists pharmacologic classes linked to the drug.
companyName	string	Shows the company named in the shortage record.
manufacturerName	string	Shows the manufacturer named in the shortage record.
dosageForm	string	Shows the dosage form for the drug.
strength	string	Shows the drug strength from the source record.
presentation	string	Shows the product presentation from the source record.
packageDescription	string	Shows the package description from the source record.
identifiers	object	Holds package, product, and regulatory identifiers.
identifiers.packageNdc	string	Shows the package National Drug Code.
identifiers.productNdc	string	Shows the product National Drug Code.
identifiers.applicationNumber	string	Shows the FDA application number when available.
identifiers.productId	string	Shows the source product identifier used to match records.
identifiers.rxcui	string	Shows the RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier when available.
identifiers.unii	string	Shows the FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier when available.
identifiers.splId	string	Shows the Structured Product Label identifier when available.
identifiers.splSetId	string	Shows the Structured Product Label set ID when available.
dates	object	Holds dates reported in the shortage record.
dates.initialPostingDate	string (date)	Shows when the shortage record was first posted.
dates.updateDate	string (date)	Shows when the shortage record was last updated.
dates.estimatedResupplyDate	string (date)	Shows the estimated resupply date when available.
dates.resolvedDate	string (date)	Shows when the shortage was resolved when available.
dates.discontinuedDate	string (date)	Shows when the product was discontinued when available.
source	object	Holds official source links and contact details.
source.sourceName	string	Names the source for the row.
source.recordUrl	string (URL)	Links to the source record.
source.relatedLinks	array of objects	Lists other useful links from the source record.
source.relatedLinks[].label	string	Gives the name of a related source link.
source.relatedLinks[].url	string (URL)	Gives the URL of a related source link.
source.contact	object	Holds contact details supplied by the source.
source.contact.name	string	Gives the source contact name when available.
source.contact.email	string (email)	Gives the source contact email when available.
source.contact.phone	string	Gives the source contact phone when available.
source.contact.url	string (URL)	Links to the source contact when available.
provenance	object	Holds freshness and completeness details for the source row.
provenance.sourceUpdatedAt	string (date-time)	Shows when the source feed was last updated.
provenance.retrievedAt	string (date-time)	Shows when this row was retrieved.
provenance.fetchStatus	string	Shows the result of fetching the source data.
provenance.isComplete	boolean	Says whether the source data for the row is complete.
comparison	object	Holds changes found when this row is compared with an earlier run.
comparison.changeType	string	Says whether the row is new, changed, or unchanged.
comparison.changedFields	array of strings	Lists fields that changed since the earlier run.

Genuine current-beta row

This is a full row from the successful current-beta default-input run for current records matching lidocaine. Optional fields not returned in this row remain documented in the table above.

{
  "shortageStatus": "Current",
  "drugName": "Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection",
  "genericName": "Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection",
  "brandNames": [
    "LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE"
  ],
  "activeSubstances": [
    "LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE"
  ],
  "routes": [
    "RETROBULBAR",
    "TOPICAL"
  ],
  "therapeuticCategories": [
    "Anesthesia",
    "Pediatric"
  ],
  "pharmacologicClasses": [],
  "companyName": "Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer Company",
  "manufacturerName": "Hospira, Inc.",
  "dosageForm": "Injection",
  "strength": "200 mg/5 mL (4%; 40 mg/mL)",
  "presentation": "Lidocaine Hydrochloride Preservative Free, Injection, 200 mg/5 mL (4%; 40 mg/mL) (NDC 0409-4283-01)",
  "packageDescription": "Lidocaine Hydrochloride Preservative Free, Injection, 200 mg/5 mL (4%; 40 mg/mL) (NDC 0409-4283-01)",
  "availability": {
    "status": "Available"
  },
  "identifiers": {
    "packageNdc": "0409-4283-01",
    "productNdc": "0409-4283",
    "applicationNumber": "ANDA088295",
    "rxcui": "1010844",
    "unii": "V13007Z41A",
    "splId": "3681d241-f269-4d2d-b614-f87fc30aeecb",
    "splSetId": "89a4bd73-89f4-4fd7-2c9f-921e1da8f96b"
  },
  "dates": {
    "initialPostingDate": "2012-02-22",
    "updateDate": "2026-07-23"
  },
  "source": {
    "sourceName": "FDA/openFDA Drug Shortages",
    "recordUrl": "https://api.fda.gov/drug/shortages.json?limit=1000&skip=0&search=status%3A%22Current%22+AND+%28generic_name%3A%22lidocaine%22+OR+openfda.generic_name%3A%22lidocaine%22+OR+openfda.brand_name%3A%22lidocaine%22+OR+openfda.substance_name%3A%22lidocaine%22%29",
    "contact": {
      "phone": "844-646-4398"
    }
  },
  "provenance": {
    "sourceUpdatedAt": "2026-08-04T00:00:00.000Z",
    "retrievedAt": "2026-08-04T23:00:56.661Z",
    "fetchStatus": "ok",
    "isComplete": true
  },
  "comparison": {
    "changeType": "unchanged",
    "changedFields": []
  }
}

💳 Pricing

Pricing event

This Actor charges $0.00001 for each matching drug shortage saved to your dataset. The event applies only when a matching shortage is saved; a run with no saved matching shortage does not create this event.

🔌 Integrations

Open the dataset and run links in Apify Console, read them through the Apify API, or use dataset exports and schedules in your workflow.

❓ FAQ

Which FDA source does this use?

The Actor reads official FDA/openFDA drug shortage records. It is not the FDA and does not replace the FDA's own database.

Can I return current, resolved, and planned-discontinuation records?

Yes. Set status to current, resolved, planned-discontinuation, or all. The all choice includes every status exposed by this input.

What happens when I leave an optional filter empty?

The run keeps all available matches for the selected status and other choices until the source is exhausted. Leave both date fields empty to skip date filtering.

Can I use more than one drug term?

Yes. Add one list of drug or ingredient terms for the search scope. If one source record matches more than one submitted term, the first eligible match is saved and later matches are ignored; the saved row is not rewritten with later submitted values.

Does this Actor give medical advice or replacement recommendations?

No. It returns source data for research and programmatic workflows. It does not give clinical interpretation, medical advice, substitute recommendations, severity scores, or treatment guidance.

How can I check whether the source data is complete?

Open feedInfo for feed freshness, fetch status, and completeness. Each row also includes provenance.sourceUpdatedAt, provenance.retrievedAt, provenance.fetchStatus, and provenance.isComplete when the source provides them.

Do I need an FDA API key or login?

No. The Actor reads public FDA/openFDA data without buyer-supplied credentials.

📝 Changelog

0.0: Initial release

🆘 Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests, file a ticket and I'll fix or implement it in less than 24h 🫡

🔗 Related Actors

• GoodRx Drug Price Scraper — compare public pharmacy offers for a drug after reviewing its shortage status.
• FDA Import Alert Monitor — DWPE Scraper — check public FDA import alerts for affected firms or products during supply and compliance reviews.
• FDA Drug Shortages Scraper — export another FDA/openFDA shortage view for a monitoring or data check.
• Drug Shortage API — Delta Monitor & FDA Shortage Tracker — review repeat-run changes in a delta-style shortage workflow.
• FDA Drug Shortages Monitor — review another recurring view of current and changed shortage records.

Made with ❤️ by Maxime Dupré