# OpenFDA Drug Safety Scraper (`lulzasaur/openfda-scraper`) Actor

Scrape FDA drug safety data including adverse events, recalls, and labels. Search by brand name, reactions, recall reasons. Extract patient demographics, drug info, and enforcement actions.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/lulzasaur/openfda-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [lulz bot](https://apify.com/lulzasaur) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $10.00 / 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/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## OpenFDA Drug Safety Scraper

Scrape FDA drug safety data from the OpenFDA API. Search adverse drug events, recalls/enforcement actions, and drug labels by brand name or custom query.

### Modes

| Mode | Description | API Endpoint |
|------|-------------|-------------|
| `events` | Adverse drug event reports (FAERS) | `/drug/event.json` |
| `recalls` | Drug enforcement/recall actions | `/drug/enforcement.json` |
| `labels` | Drug labeling/packaging info | `/drug/label.json` |

### Output Fields

#### Events Mode

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `safetyReportId` | Unique FDA safety report ID |
| `receiveDate` | Date FDA received the report |
| `serious` | Whether event was classified as serious |
| `seriousDeath` | Whether event resulted in death |
| `patientAge` | Patient age at onset |
| `patientSex` | Patient sex |
| `drugs` | Array of drugs involved (name, indication, route) |
| `reactions` | Array of adverse reactions (term, outcome) |

#### Recalls Mode

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `recallNumber` | FDA recall number |
| `status` | Recall status (Ongoing, Completed, Terminated) |
| `reason` | Reason for recall |
| `product` | Product description |
| `classification` | Recall class (I=most serious, II, III) |
| `recallingFirm` | Company initiating recall |
| `reportDate` | Date recall was reported |

#### Labels Mode

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `splId` | Structured Product Labeling ID |
| `brandName` | Drug brand name |
| `genericName` | Generic/chemical name |
| `manufacturer` | Manufacturer name |
| `purpose` | Drug purpose |
| `warnings` | Warning text |
| `dosage` | Dosage and administration info |
| `activeIngredient` | Active ingredient list |

### Use Cases

- **Pharmacovigilance**: Monitor adverse events for specific drugs
- **Compliance**: Track FDA enforcement actions and recalls
- **Research**: Analyze drug safety data at scale
- **Risk assessment**: Identify drugs with serious adverse events or deaths

### Example Input

```json
{
  "mode": "events",
  "brand": "aspirin",
  "limit": 100
}
```

### Example Output (Events)

```json
{
  "safetyReportId": "10218457",
  "receiveDate": "20240115",
  "serious": true,
  "seriousDeath": false,
  "patientAge": "65 years",
  "patientSex": "Female",
  "drugs": [{"name": "ASPIRIN", "indication": "Pain", "route": "Oral"}],
  "reactions": [{"term": "Gastrointestinal haemorrhage", "outcome": "Recovered"}],
  "sourceUrl": "https://api.fda.gov/drug/event.json?search=safetyreportid:10218457",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-04-26T12:00:00.000Z"
}
```

### Notes

- OpenFDA API is free and requires no authentication
- Rate limits: 240 requests per minute (with API key), 40 without
- Maximum 100 results per page; scraper handles pagination automatically
- Text fields (warnings, dosage, etc.) are truncated to 500 chars

***

### Run on Apify

This scraper runs on the [Apify platform](https://apify.com/?fpr=lulzasaur) — a full-stack web scraping and automation cloud. Sign up for a free account to get started with 30-day trial of all features.

[Try Apify free →](https://apify.com/?fpr=lulzasaur)

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

What type of FDA data to search. Events = adverse drug events, Recalls = drug enforcement/recalls, Labels = drug labeling info.

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

Free-text search query. Used as-is in OpenFDA search parameter. E.g. 'patient.drug.openfda.brand_name:aspirin' for events, 'reason_for_recall:contamination' for recalls.

## `brand` (type: `string`):

Drug brand name to search for. Convenience shortcut — overrides searchQuery with a brand name search appropriate for the selected mode.

## `limit` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of results to return (max 1000 per API page).

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

Optional proxy to use.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "events",
  "searchQuery": "",
  "brand": "",
  "limit": 100
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

No description

## `csv` (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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("lulzasaur/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 = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("lulzasaur/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 '{}' |
apify call lulzasaur/openfda-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,lulzasaur/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/sBLb2NhbAaQ69jioU/builds/nyFKcc9Klazy1MFzD/openapi.json