# FDA Recall Scraper - Drug, Device & Food Enforcement (`oriented_wallpaper/fda-recall-scraper`) Actor Scrape FDA drug, device & food recalls from the official openFDA API — recall number, severity (Class I/II/III), status, recalling firm, brand, reason, dates & location. Filter by type/severity/status/date, monitor new recalls. Export CSV/JSON/Excel. No API key. - **URL**: https://apify.com/oriented\_wallpaper/fda-recall-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Flash Scrape](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper) (community) - **Categories:** Business, News - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $5.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use 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 Recall Scraper - Drug, Device & Food Enforcement **This FDA recall scraper turns the official openFDA enforcement data into a clean, queryable feed** — one flat row per recall with the recall number, product type, classification + plain-English **severity** (Class I/II/III → High/Medium/Low), status, recalling firm, brand / generic / manufacturer, reason for recall, distribution, ISO dates, and location. Pull **drug, medical-device, and food recalls** in one run, filter by severity / status / state / date / keyword, and export to CSV, JSON, or Excel. Built for **pharma & medtech regulatory and quality teams, consultancies, biotech investors, and journalists** who need a structured recall feed for monitoring — not openFDA's raw, deeply-nested JSON. Official US government data, **no API key, no anti-bot.** --- ### Why use this instead of openFDA directly openFDA is powerful but raw: verbose records, nested `openfda` objects, `YYYYMMDD` date strings, and three separate endpoints. This actor does the cleanup for you: - **One clean flat row per recall** — drops straight into a spreadsheet or BI tool. - **Explainable 0-100 `risk_score`** — not just a class letter. Every score ships with a `score_breakdown` (severity, recency, distribution scale, status, harm signals) **and** a plain-English `score_rationale`, so you can sort by real risk and see *why*. **No other recall scraper shows its work.** - **Recall lifecycle** — `is_open`, `days_open`, and `time_to_classification_days` tell you what's still active and how fast the FDA moved. - **Plain-English severity** — Class I/II/III mapped to High/Medium/Low + a `severity_rank` for sorting. - **Brand / generic / manufacturer / NDC / UPC** lifted out of the nested `openfda` block. - **ISO dates** (`YYYY-MM-DD`) instead of `YYYYMMDD`. - **Drug + device + food merged** into one deduped dataset; sort by **date** or **risk score**. - **Filters** for product type, severity, status, state, keyword, date range, **open-only**, and **minimum risk score**. - Re-run on a schedule to **monitor new recalls** for a firm, brand, or category. --- ### How to use it 1. Pick **product types** (drugs / devices / food). 2. Optionally filter: **severity** (Class I = most serious), **status** (Ongoing / Completed / Terminated), **state**, a **search term** (firm, product, or contaminant), and a **date range**. 3. Run → get a clean, deduped, newest-first recall table. #### Input | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `productTypes` | array | `drug`, `device`, `food` (any combination). | | `searchTerm` | string | Free text across firm, product, and reason. | | `classification` | array | `Class I` / `Class II` / `Class III` severity filter. | | `status` | string | Ongoing / Completed / Terminated. | | `state` | string | Recalling-firm US state code (e.g. `CA`). | | `dateFrom` / `dateTo` | string | Recall-initiation date range (`YYYY-MM-DD`). | | `openOnly` | boolean | Keep only open / not-yet-terminated recalls (active risk). | | `minScore` | integer | Keep only recalls with `risk_score` ≥ this (0-100). | | `sortBy` | string | `date` (newest first) or `risk` (highest score first). | | `maxItems` | integer | Max recalls (split across types). Default `200`. | | `apiKey` | string | Optional free openFDA key for large runs. | **Example input:** ```json { "productTypes": ["drug", "device"], "classification": ["Class I"], "status": "Ongoing", "dateFrom": "2025-01-01", "maxItems": 500 } ```` #### JSON output sample ```json { "recall_number": "D-1234-2025", "product_type": "drug", "classification": "Class I", "severity": "High", "severity_rank": 1, "risk_score": 88, "score_breakdown": { "severity": 40, "recency": 20, "status": 15, "distribution": 15, "harm": 10 }, "score_rationale": "Class I (most serious — reasonable probability of serious harm/death); recall still ongoing (active risk); initiated 41 days ago; wide/nationwide distribution; harm signals: contaminat", "status": "Ongoing", "is_open": true, "days_open": 41, "time_to_classification_days": 15, "recalling_firm": "Acme Pharmaceuticals, Inc.", "brand_name": "ACME XR 20MG", "generic_name": "amphetamine mixed salts", "manufacturer": "Acme Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.", "product_ndc": "12345-678-90", "upc": null, "product_description": "ACME XR 20 mg extended-release capsules, 100-count bottle", "reason_for_recall": "Failed dissolution specifications; possible contamination", "distribution_pattern": "Nationwide (US)", "initiation_date": "2025-03-18", "report_date": "2025-04-02", "termination_date": null, "firm_city": "Trenton", "firm_state": "NJ", "country": "United States", "event_id": "90123" } ``` Results render as a clean, sortable table on the Output tab and export to CSV, JSON, or Excel. *** ### Use cases - **Recall monitoring** — schedule the actor to watch for new Class I recalls in your category or for a specific firm/brand. - **Competitive & supplier risk** — track recalls hitting competitors or your suppliers/contract manufacturers. - **Regulatory & quality intelligence** — feed a compliance dashboard with structured enforcement data. - **Investment signals** — biotech/medtech catalyst tracking (a Class I recall moves markets). - **Journalism & research** — query decades of recalls by firm, product, or reason. *** ### Use with AI agents & automation Run from the Apify **MCP** server so AI agents (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) can query recalls as a tool call, schedule runs via **Make**, **n8n**, or **Zapier** to alert Slack/email on new Class I recalls, or sync the dataset to **Google Sheets** for a live recall dashboard. Clean flat JSON drops into compliance pipelines with no glue code. *** ### Pricing **Pay-per-event — you're charged per recall record delivered.** Source data is the free public openFDA API, so there are no proxy or third-party costs. See the Apify Store page for the current per-result price. *** ### FAQ **Where does the data come from?** The official **openFDA** API (api.fda.gov), maintained by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration — public government data. **Do I need an API key?** No. It works key-free. Add a free openFDA key only for very large/high-frequency runs (higher rate limit). **What do the classifications mean?** **Class I** = reasonable probability of serious harm or death; **Class II** = temporary/medically reversible harm; **Class III** = unlikely to cause harm. This actor maps them to High/Medium/Low. **How far back does it go?** openFDA enforcement data spans well over a decade; use the date filters to scope it. **Can I monitor new recalls?** Yes — schedule the actor with a `dateFrom` of the last few days (or a firm/brand `searchTerm`) and pipe results to Slack/email via Make/Zapier. **Can I export to CSV or Google Sheets?** Yes — CSV, JSON, or Excel from the Output tab, or sync to Google Sheets via Make, n8n, or Zapier. *** ### Other Flash Scrape scrapers - [Trustpilot Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper/trustpilot-reviews-scraper) — company reviews & reputation - [Amazon Product Scraper](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper/amazon-product-scraper) — products, prices & ratings - [Google Maps Leads Scraper](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper/google-maps-leads-opener) — local business leads - [Indeed Jobs Scraper](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper/indeed-jobs-scraper) — job listings - [Google Search Results Scraper](https://apify.com/oriented_wallpaper/google-serp-scraper) — SERP & rankings # Actor input Schema ## `productTypes` (type: `array`): Which FDA enforcement datasets to pull. ## `searchTerm` (type: `string`): Free-text match across recalling firm, product description, and reason for recall (e.g. a company name, drug, or contaminant). Leave empty for all. ## `classification` (type: `array`): Class I = most serious (risk of death), Class II = moderate, Class III = minor. Leave empty for all. ## `status` (type: `string`): Filter by recall status. ## `state` (type: `string`): US state code of the recalling firm (e.g. 'CA', 'NY'). Leave empty for all. ## `dateFrom` (type: `string`): Only recalls initiated on/after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional. ## `dateTo` (type: `string`): Only recalls initiated on/before this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional. ## `openOnly` (type: `boolean`): Return only recalls that are still open / ongoing (no termination date) — the active-risk subset. ## `minScore` (type: `integer`): Only return recalls with a computed risk score (0-100) at or above this. 0 = no filter. ## `sortBy` (type: `string`): Order results by recall date (newest first) or by computed risk score (highest first). ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of recall records to return (split across the selected product types). ## `apiKey` (type: `string`): A free openFDA API key (open.fda.gov/apis/authentication) lifts the rate limit for large runs. Not required for normal use. ## Actor input object example ```json { "productTypes": [ "drug", "device", "food" ], "classification": [], "status": "", "openOnly": false, "minScore": 0, "sortBy": "date", "maxItems": 200 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = {}; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("oriented_wallpaper/fda-recall-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = {} # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("oriented_wallpaper/fda-recall-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{}' | apify call oriented_wallpaper/fda-recall-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=oriented_wallpaper/fda-recall-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "FDA Recall Scraper - Drug, Device & Food Enforcement", "description": "Scrape FDA drug, device & food recalls from the official openFDA API — recall number, severity (Class I/II/III), status, recalling firm, brand, reason, dates & location. Filter by type/severity/status/date, monitor new recalls. Export CSV/JSON/Excel. No API key.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "RFdIus2zd6fFFxUxy" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/oriented_wallpaper~fda-recall-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-oriented_wallpaper-fda-recall-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/oriented_wallpaper~fda-recall-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-oriented_wallpaper-fda-recall-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/oriented_wallpaper~fda-recall-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-oriented_wallpaper-fda-recall-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "productTypes": { "title": "Product types", "type": "array", "description": "Which FDA enforcement datasets to pull.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "drug", "device", "food" ], "enumTitles": [ "Drugs", "Medical devices", "Food" ] }, "default": [ "drug", "device", "food" ] }, "searchTerm": { "title": "Search term", "type": "string", "description": "Free-text match across recalling firm, product description, and reason for recall (e.g. a company name, drug, or contaminant). Leave empty for all." }, "classification": { "title": "Severity (classification)", "type": "array", "description": "Class I = most serious (risk of death), Class II = moderate, Class III = minor. Leave empty for all.", "items": { "type": "string", "enum": [ "Class I", "Class II", "Class III" ], "enumTitles": [ "Class I (most serious)", "Class II (moderate)", "Class III (minor)" ] }, "default": [] }, "status": { "title": "Recall status", "enum": [ "", "Ongoing", "Completed", "Terminated" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by recall status.", "default": "" }, "state": { "title": "Recalling firm state", "type": "string", "description": "US state code of the recalling firm (e.g. 'CA', 'NY'). Leave empty for all." }, "dateFrom": { "title": "Recalls initiated from (date)", "type": "string", "description": "Only recalls initiated on/after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional." }, "dateTo": { "title": "Recalls initiated to (date)", "type": "string", "description": "Only recalls initiated on/before this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Optional." }, "openOnly": { "title": "Only open (not terminated) recalls", "type": "boolean", "description": "Return only recalls that are still open / ongoing (no termination date) — the active-risk subset.", "default": false }, "minScore": { "title": "Minimum risk score", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 100, "type": "integer", "description": "Only return recalls with a computed risk score (0-100) at or above this. 0 = no filter.", "default": 0 }, "sortBy": { "title": "Sort by", "enum": [ "date", "risk" ], "type": "string", "description": "Order results by recall date (newest first) or by computed risk score (highest first).", "default": "date" }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max recalls", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 25000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of recall records to return (split across the selected product types).", "default": 200 }, "apiKey": { "title": "openFDA API key (optional)", "type": "string", "description": "A free openFDA API key (open.fda.gov/apis/authentication) lifts the rate limit for large runs. Not required for normal use." } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```