# openFDA Recalls Scraper — Drug, Device & Food Safety (`publicdata/openfda-recalls-scraper`) Actor

Export FDA recalls and enforcement actions: drugs, medical devices, food and drug shortages. Recalling firm, product, reason, risk classification and dates. Filter by date, firm, product or Class I severity. Official openFDA API, no key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/publicdata/openfda-recalls-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [PublicData](https://apify.com/publicdata) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $4.25 / 1,000 records

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#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

**When the FDA announces a recall, somebody has to pull that product off a shelf, out of a warehouse, or out of a patient's hands — and the people who need to know are rarely the ones watching the FDA website.**

This Actor turns the official openFDA feeds into a filtered, structured feed: which firm recalled what, why, how serious the FDA judged it, and where the product went. Five feeds in one schema — drugs, medical devices, food, and drug shortages.

No API key, no login, no proxies.

### What you get

**The alert**

- **`reportedDate`**, `initiatedDate`, `terminatedDate` — always ISO, whatever format the feed stores
- **`classification`** — **Class I** is the FDA's most serious: a reasonable probability of serious harm or death. Class II is temporary or reversible harm; Class III is unlikely to cause harm.
- `status` — Ongoing, Completed, Terminated

**Who and what**

- **`firm`** — the recalling company, and `manufacturers` where openFDA resolves it
- **`product`**, `productType`, `brandNames`, `genericNames`
- `quantity` and `codeInfo` — how much, and which lots

**Why, and how far it spread**

- **`reason`** — the FDA's own wording: *"Lack of Assurance of Sterility"*, *"Sesame Seeds White were labeled as Curry Powder Sweet"*
- **`distribution`** — the distribution pattern, from a single state to nationwide
- `city`, `state`, `country`, `postalCode`
- `voluntaryOrMandated` — whether the firm acted first or the FDA required it

**Provenance**

- `recallNumber`, `eventId`, `feed`, `feedLabel`, `sourceApi`, `sourceUrl`, `source`

### The five feeds

| Feed | Records | Risk class | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Drug recalls and enforcement** | 17,899 | yes | Prescription and OTC drug recalls |
| **Medical device recalls** | 59,025 | — | Device corrections and removals |
| **Medical device enforcement** | 39,794 | yes | Device enforcement reports |
| **Food recalls and enforcement** | 29,317 | yes | Food, including undeclared allergens |
| **Drug shortages** | 1,623 | — | Current and resolved supply shortages |

Counts measured against the live API on 26 August 2026.

### Who uses this

- **Importers, distributors and retailers** — filter by firm or product and know the day a supplier's product is recalled, instead of hearing it from a customer.
- **Hospital and clinic procurement** — Class I device recalls for equipment already on the ward.
- **Pharmacies and wholesalers** — drug shortages, with the status and the company, as a purchasing signal.
- **Food producers and grocers** — allergen mislabelling is the most common food recall reason, and it moves fast.
- **Compliance, quality and insurance teams** — a documented, dated record of what was recalled and why.
- **Developers and AI agents** — one schema over five FDA feeds, callable over the API or as an MCP tool.

### Example output

```json
{
  "feed": "drug-recalls",
  "reportedDate": "2026-07-22",
  "firm": "Chiesi USA, Inc.",
  "product": "CLEVIPREX (clevidipine injectable emulsion) 50 mg/100 mL",
  "classification": "Class II",
  "reason": "Lack of Assurance of Sterility",
  "status": "Ongoing",
  "voluntaryOrMandated": "Voluntary: Firm initiated",
  "recallNumber": "D-0769-2026",
  "source": "openFDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), public domain"
}
```

### Input

| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| `feeds` | Which of the five to read. Empty = drug recalls. |
| `since` | **The monitoring filter**: reported on or after this date. Empty = the last 90 days. |
| `until` | Upper bound of the window. |
| `firm` | Recalling firm contains — track one supplier. |
| `product` | Product contains — `insulin`, `catheter`, `peanut butter`. |
| `classification` | `Class I`, `II` or `III`. Device recalls and drug shortages carry no class and are skipped when this is set. |
| `includeRaw` | Attach the untouched FDA record. |
| `maxItems` | Safety cap. `0` = unlimited. |

Every Class I drug recall this quarter — the ones that can kill:

```json
{ "feeds": ["drug-recalls"], "classification": "Class I", "since": "2026-06-01" }
```

Watch one supplier across drugs, devices and food:

```json
{ "feeds": ["drug-recalls", "device-enforcement", "food-recalls"], "firm": "Philips", "since": "2026-01-01" }
```

### Run it on a schedule

Save your filters as a Task, leave the dates empty so each run covers the last 90 days, and schedule it daily. Attach an Apify integration and new recalls land in **Slack**, **e-mail**, **Google Sheets**, a **webhook**, or **Make** and **Zapier** — which is the point: a recall is only useful if it reaches the person who has that product.

Deduplicate on `recallNumber` where present, and on `eventId` plus `feed` for the device feeds, which do not always carry one.

### Use it from code or from an AI agent

Start runs and read the dataset over the Apify API or CLI, as JSON, CSV, Excel or XML. The Actor is also exposed as an **MCP tool** through the Apify MCP server, so an agent can answer "has anything we buy from this supplier been recalled this year?" in one call.

### Pricing

Pay per event: a small fee per record exported. API calls only — no browser, no proxy — so platform usage on top is negligible. Use `maxItems` for a hard ceiling.

### Where the data comes from

The **openFDA** API, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA data is a work of the U.S. federal government and is in the public domain; openFDA asks that results not be presented as an official FDA endorsement, and every row carries the `source` field for that reason.

**Honest limits**, all measured against the live API on 26 August 2026.

openFDA refuses to page past **25,000 records** per feed, so a filter matching more than that cannot be exported in one run — the Actor says so in the log and stops there rather than pretending it covered everything. Narrow the date window to reach the rest.

The feeds are not uniform. **Medical device recalls and drug shortages carry no risk classification**, so a Class filter cannot apply to them and those feeds are skipped when you set one. The shortages feed also has no `reason` column; its `reason` field is filled from the FDA's `related_info` explanation instead.

Recalls appear when the FDA publishes them, which can be days or weeks after a firm begins one — the `initiatedDate` and `reportedDate` fields let you see that gap yourself. This Actor is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FDA.

### Frequently asked questions

**What does Class I actually mean?**

It is the FDA's most serious level: a reasonable probability that using the product will cause serious harm or death. Class II is temporary or reversible harm, Class III is unlikely to cause harm.

**Can FDA data be used commercially?**

Yes. FDA data is a work of the U.S. federal government and is in the public domain. openFDA asks only that results not be presented as an official FDA endorsement.

**Can I monitor one supplier across drugs, devices and food?**

Yes. Put the company in `firm` and select all the feeds: the openFDA Recalls Scraper reads five FDA sources into one schema, so a single run covers every category that supplier sells into.

**Why can't I export more than 25,000 records?**

openFDA refuses to page past that per feed. The Actor says so in the log and stops rather than pretending it covered everything — narrow the date window to reach the rest.

### Related Actors

Same engine, same official-source approach:

- [**US Building Permits**](https://apify.com/publicdata/us-building-permits-scraper) — issued permits from six US cities, with contractor and declared value
- [**US Business Registry**](https://apify.com/publicdata/us-business-registry-scraper) — newly registered companies by state
- [**GLEIF LEI**](https://apify.com/publicdata/gleif-lei-scraper) — LEI lookup, lapsed-LEI screening, parent companies
- [**Swiss Commercial Register (SHAB)**](https://apify.com/publicdata/shab-swiss-company-gazette) — new companies, changes, deletions and bankruptcies
- [**EU Tenders (TED)**](https://apify.com/publicdata/ted-eu-public-tenders) — European procurement notices and contract awards
- [**Brazil CNPJ**](https://apify.com/publicdata/brazil-cnpj-lookup) — Receita Federal company data and partners

***

#### Italiano

Esporta i **richiami e i provvedimenti della FDA americana**: farmaci, dispositivi medici, alimenti e carenze di farmaci. Azienda che richiama, prodotto, motivo, **classe di rischio** e diffusione. La Classe I indica una probabilità concreta di danno grave o morte. Filtri per data, azienda, prodotto e classe: chi importa, distribuisce o acquista sa il giorno stesso se un prodotto che tratta è stato richiamato.

#### Deutsch

Exportiert **FDA-Rückrufe und Vollzugsmaßnahmen** für Arzneimittel, Medizinprodukte und Lebensmittel sowie Lieferengpässe: rückrufendes Unternehmen, Produkt, Grund, **Risikoklasse** und Verbreitung. Klasse I bedeutet erhebliche Gefahr schwerer Schäden oder Todesfolge. Filter nach Datum, Firma, Produkt und Klasse — für Importeure, Händler und Beschaffung.

#### Français

Exporte les **rappels et actions de la FDA** : médicaments, dispositifs médicaux, aliments et pénuries de médicaments. Entreprise, produit, motif, **classe de risque** et diffusion. La Classe I signale une probabilité réelle de préjudice grave ou de décès. Filtres par date, entreprise, produit et classe, pour les importateurs, distributeurs et services achats.

# Actor input Schema

## `feeds` (type: `array`):

Empty = drug recalls only.

## `since` (type: `string`):

The monitoring filter (YYYY-MM-DD). Empty = the last 90 days.

## `until` (type: `string`):

Upper bound of the window (YYYY-MM-DD).

## `firm` (type: `string`):

Track one company, e.g. `Philips`, `Pfizer`, `Nestle`.

## `product` (type: `string`):

e.g. `insulin`, `catheter`, `peanut butter`.

## `classification` (type: `string`):

Class I is the FDA's most serious: reasonable probability of serious harm or death. Drug shortages and device recalls carry no class and are skipped when this is set.

## `includeRaw` (type: `boolean`):

Attach the untouched record as published by openFDA.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Safety cap across all feeds. 0 = unlimited. openFDA refuses to page past 25,000 per feed.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "feeds": [
    "drug-recalls"
  ],
  "classification": "",
  "includeRaw": false,
  "maxItems": 500
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

FDA recalls and enforcement actions for drugs, devices and food, with firm, product, reason and risk class. Every exported row is one dataset item.

# 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 = {
    "feeds": [
        "drug-recalls"
    ],
    "firm": "",
    "product": "",
    "maxItems": 500
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("publicdata/openfda-recalls-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 = {
    "feeds": ["drug-recalls"],
    "firm": "",
    "product": "",
    "maxItems": 500,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("publicdata/openfda-recalls-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 '{
  "feeds": [
    "drug-recalls"
  ],
  "firm": "",
  "product": "",
  "maxItems": 500
}' |
apify call publicdata/openfda-recalls-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,publicdata/openfda-recalls-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/HjM3YIeEcxPx6EJrl/builds/spMhmZiUojsXdiIT8/openapi.json