# openFDA Scraper (`straightforward_hydra/openfda-scraper`) Actor

Recalls (drug/device/food), adverse events and drug labels from the official openFDA API. No API key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/straightforward_hydra/openfda-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Dev D](https://apify.com/straightforward_hydra) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Other
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **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. 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 Scraper 💊

**Drug, device and food recalls, adverse-event reports and drug labels from the official openFDA API. No API key, no login.**

Pull clean, structured regulatory data straight from the U.S. FDA's [openFDA](https://open.fda.gov) API: product **recalls** (enforcement reports) for drugs, medical devices and food; **adverse-event** reports; and **drug labels**. Filter by classification, status, firm, state and date range. Perfect for pharma/food safety monitoring, compliance, competitive intelligence and research.

> Uses the official openFDA API — public U.S. FDA data, no key required.

***

### Datasets

- 💊 **Drug recalls** — enforcement reports (class, reason, firm, product).
- 🩺 **Device recalls** — medical-device enforcement reports.
- 🥫 **Food recalls** — food & cosmetic enforcement reports.
- ⚠️ **Drug adverse events** — FAERS reports (reactions, patient, drugs).
- 🏷️ **Drug labels** — indications, warnings, dosage, ingredients.

### Features

- ✅ **No API key** — official openFDA endpoints, works out of the box.
- ✅ **Recall filters** — classification (Class I/II/III), status, firm, state, date range.
- ✅ **Clean records** — ISO dates, flattened brand/generic/manufacturer names.
- ✅ **Advanced queries** — pass any openFDA field query (e.g. `reason_for_recall:"contamination"`).
- ✅ **Low-maintenance** — stable official API, one clean record per item.

***

### Input

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| **Dataset** | drug / device / food recalls, adverse events, or labels. |
| **Search query** | Free text or an openFDA field query. |
| **Classification** | Recalls: Class I / II / III. |
| **Status** | Recalls: Ongoing / Completed / Terminated. |
| **State / Firm** | Recalls: filter by recalling firm's state or name. |
| **From / To date** | YYYY-MM-DD range on the dataset's main date field. |
| **API key** | Optional free key for a higher daily quota. |
| **Max results** | Result cap (openFDA caps deep paging at ~25,000). |

#### Example — ongoing Class I drug recalls, 2024

```json
{
  "dataset": "drug-recalls",
  "classification": "Class I",
  "status": "Ongoing",
  "dateFrom": "2024-01-01",
  "maxResults": 500
}
```

#### Example — recent adverse events for a drug

```json
{
  "dataset": "drug-adverse-events",
  "query": "patient.drug.medicinalproduct:\"OZEMPIC\"",
  "maxResults": 200
}
```

### Output

Recall row:

```json
{
  "type": "recall",
  "recall_number": "D-0123-2024",
  "status": "Ongoing",
  "classification": "Class I",
  "product_description": "...",
  "reason_for_recall": "Failed specifications",
  "recalling_firm": "Example Pharma Inc.",
  "state": "NJ",
  "recall_initiation_date": "2024-03-11",
  "brand_name": "...",
  "generic_name": "..."
}
```

Adverse-event rows carry `safetyreportid`, `serious`, `reactions`, `drugs`, patient sex/age; label rows carry `indications_and_usage`, `warnings`, `dosage_and_administration`, ingredients.

### Run it on a schedule

Schedule the Actor to watch for new recalls in your category and connect a **Google Sheets / Slack / webhook** integration for instant safety alerts.

### Notes & limitations

- Uses the official openFDA API — no key needed (optional key raises the daily quota).
- Data is a point-in-time snapshot at run time.
- Adverse-event reports are voluntary and not confirmed causation (FDA disclaimer).
- Public, non-personal U.S. FDA regulatory data.
- Data source: openFDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration).

***

#### Keywords

openFDA, FDA, drug recall, food recall, device recall, FDA recalls, adverse events, FAERS, drug label, drug safety, pharmacovigilance, product recall, FDA enforcement, recall monitoring, pharma compliance, food safety, medical device, drug data, FDA API, regulatory data.

# Actor input Schema

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

Which FDA dataset to pull.

## `query` (type: `string`):

Free text, or an openFDA field query. Examples: "metformin"; reason_for_recall:"contamination"; patient.drug.medicinalproduct:"ASPIRIN".

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

Class I (most serious), Class II, or Class III.

## `status` (type: `string`):

Ongoing, Completed, Terminated, or Pending.

## `state` (type: `string`):

Two-letter US state of the recalling firm, e.g. CA, NY, TX.

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

Exact recalling firm / company name.

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

Only records on/after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Applies to the dataset's main date field.

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

Only records on/before this date (YYYY-MM-DD).

## `sort` (type: `string`):

openFDA sort expression, e.g. recall_initiation_date:desc. Defaults to newest first.

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

Optional free key (open.fda.gov/apis/authentication) to raise the daily quota from 1,000 to 120,000 requests. Not required.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

How many records to return (openFDA caps deep paging at ~25,000).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "dataset": "drug-recalls",
  "classification": "",
  "status": "",
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

# 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("straightforward_hydra/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("straightforward_hydra/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 straightforward_hydra/openfda-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,straightforward_hydra/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/jRDK8nBVSHOgWmHmA/builds/9Wt2cBfgtJDkV3Em0/openapi.json