Type a medicine, brand, or active-ingredient keyword - the tool searches the product description, the recalling firm name, and the openFDA brand and generic name fields in one pass, so "Tylenol" and "acetaminophen" both find the same reports. Matching enforcement reports list newest first, with an optional filter by the recalling firm's state. Every result card shows its classification badge, the stated reason, affected lot codes, the date it was opened, current status, and where it was distributed - a Class I match renders with a red marker, and the table beneath the results spells out what each class means for a medicine in your cabinet.
Drug Recall Lookup
Worried a medicine on hand was pulled from shelves? Enter its brand, its generic name, or the company that makes it - Tylenol, acetaminophen, or a pharmacy chain, say - and this page pulls the matching US FDA drug enforcement records, most recent first, from the openFDA feed. Each result names why the drug was recalled and the affected lot, so you can match it against the label in front of you.
Before you type anything, the page already lists the most recent drug recalls, so you can see the shape of a real result and the fields each card carries.
Key features
- One search checks four fields at once - the product description, the recalling firm name, and the openFDA brand and generic names - so the brand name and the active ingredient both find the same reports.
- An optional state dropdown narrows results to recalling firms based in one US state; where the medicine was actually distributed is shown separately on each report card. This matters because a nationally marketed drug can be pulled from a single regional repackager while the same medicine stays on shelves everywhere else, so the state filter and the distribution field answer two different questions.
- Each report card shows the product description, a brand/generic line when openFDA enrichment is present, the recalling firm with city and state, the recall classification, whether the recall was voluntary or FDA-mandated, the reason, the affected lot codes, the initiation date, the current status, and the distribution pattern.
- A Class I classification - the FDA's top severity tier, used when a product could plausibly cause serious harm or death - triggers a red banner and a matching badge on that card, so a medicine in the most dangerous tier never blends in with routine recalls.
- A no-match search states plainly that no report matches the query, echoes the query back, suggests trying the generic name instead of the brand, and links to fda.gov/safety/recalls to confirm - never a blank panel.
- Newest reports lead the list, so a recall from this morning never gets buried under one from last year.
Privacy
The name of the medicine you look up never touches this site's servers: the query goes straight to the US-government openFDA drug endpoint and is not logged here. Nothing is uploaded and no processing runs on this site, and because openFDA is keyless and free, neither this page nor the API asks you to sign in.
Recall classifications and coverage
The built-in classification table explains Class I, Class II, and Class III severity, plus a numbered what-to-do list for a recalled medicine at home - including why you should ask a pharmacist before stopping a prescription. This page covers human drugs only - prescription and over-the-counter. Medical device and animal-drug recalls are separate FDA systems, dietary supplements are FDA-regulated foods (use the food recall lookup for those), and enforcement reports lag breaking news by days to weeks, so this is not a live-alert feed. For vehicle safety campaigns, use the vehicle recall lookup instead. This tool is informational - it is not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which recalls does this tool cover?
Human drugs in the openFDA drug enforcement database - prescription and over-the-counter medicines sold in the United States. Medical device recalls and animal-drug recalls are separate FDA systems and are NOT included, and dietary supplements are FDA-regulated foods - check the food recall lookup on this site for those.
Should I search the brand name or the generic name?
Either works. One search checks the product description, the recalling firm, and the openFDA brand and generic name fields together, so "Tylenol" and "acetaminophen" find the same reports. If a brand search returns nothing, try the active ingredient - older reports sometimes carry only the generic wording in the product description.
What do Class I, Class II, and Class III mean?
They are FDA's severity classifications. Class I is the most serious: a reasonable probability that the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. Class II covers temporary or medically reversible effects with a remote probability of serious harm. Class III means the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. This page shows the classification on every report card and flags Class I matches with a red banner.
My medicine is recalled - should I stop taking it?
Not necessarily, and not on your own for a prescription. For some conditions, stopping a medicine abruptly is riskier than the defect behind the recall. Compare your lot number against the report first - recalls usually cover specific lots - then ask your pharmacist or prescriber what to do; they can confirm whether your lot is affected and arrange a replacement. This page is informational, not medical advice.
Why does a recall from today's news not show up?
Enforcement reports enter the openFDA database days to weeks after a recall is first announced. If you just saw a recall in the news, check fda.gov/safety/recalls for the announcement itself; this tool is best for confirming details - lot codes, distribution, status - once the enforcement report is published.
How do I know whether my package is affected?
Compare the lot number (and NDC) printed on your package or pharmacy label against the lot codes line in the report card. A recall usually covers specific lots and expiration dates, not every package of the product. If your lot matches, follow the what-to-do list under the classification table and talk to your pharmacist.
What does the state dropdown filter by?
The recalling firm's home state, because that is the state field the FDA data carries. Where the medicine was actually sold is the Distribution line on each report card - many recalls distribute nationwide from a single-state firm, so leave the dropdown on Any state unless you are researching a specific company.
Is my search private?
Your keyword and state go directly from your browser to the official US-government openFDA API (api.fda.gov) - never to this site's servers - and this page does not store them. openFDA is keyless and free; no account is needed on either side.
Does this cover recalls outside the United States?
No. The openFDA enforcement database covers products distributed in the US market. Other countries publish their own recall feeds (for example recalls-rappels.canada.ca in Canada or the TGA alerts page in Australia).
Are eye drops included, or just prescription pills?
Eye drops are regulated as over-the-counter or prescription drugs, not medical devices, so they are within this tool's coverage the same as any other medicine. Typing a two-word term like "eye drops" is matched as an exact phrase against the product description, recalling firm, and brand/generic name fields, so any report whose listing contains that wording will surface. Because many different eye-drop products share similar generic descriptions, searching the specific brand or active ingredient first usually returns a tighter, easier-to-read result set.