What this endpoint does
Drug Shortages lives at drug/shortages.json. Current and resolved drug shortage reports. openFDA returns everything as JSON with a meta block (hit counts, disclaimers) and a results array.
Who uses it
Pharmacy apps, academic studies, and newsrooms use drug endpoints to cross-check labels, shortages, and safety filings. Expect Latin trade names, misspellings, and duplicate brand entries — normalization is on you.
Example request
Paste this into a browser or our Explorer (swap the search term as needed):
GET https://api.fda.gov/drug/shortages.json?search=status:Current&limit=5You should see JSON with meta.results.total telling you how many matches exist.
Searching the data
Start with search=status:Current in our Explorer or your own HTTP client. Each endpoint documents its own field list on open.fda.gov. Common knobs: limit (how many rows), skip (offset for paging), sort (field:asc or field:desc), and count (aggregate unique values).
Tips that save time
Wrap exact phrases in quotes inside the search parameter. Use count=field.exact when you want top values instead of raw rows.
limit— usually capped at 1,000 per callskip— walk through large result setscount=some_field.exact— quick frequency tables
Before you rely on this data
openFDA Explorer is an independent website. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA public data is useful for research and general interest. It is not medical advice. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional about your health. openFDA data may be incomplete or reported voluntarily — treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.