Source: FDA Enforcement Reports + FDA “Understanding Drug Recalls” · Updated Oct 26, 2026

Is my medication recalled? How to check NDC and lot

Match the NDC and lot number on your bottle against FDA’s drug Enforcement Report for that product. If your pharmacy label omits the lot, ask the pharmacy which manufacturer and lot it dispensed. Drug recalls usually affect specific lots, not every bottle of a medicine. FDA posts recalls in its Enforcement Report; not every recall gets a news headline. For many Class II and Class III recalls, FDA says patients can generally keep taking the medicine unless the company or FDA says otherwise. Don’t stop on your own: stopping can be more harmful than continuing. Call your pharmacist or doctor. Use the checker, or see our blood pressure and toothpaste pages below.

Search all FDA drug recalls · Blood pressure medication recalls 2026 · Toothpaste recall 2026

Last updated: October 26, 2026 · FDA consumer guidance checked October 26. The openFDA drug enforcement API’s last-updated date was October 14, 2026; this is the API data-through date, not a claim that no later recalls exist.

Page type

How-to hub

Source

FDA drug Enforcement Reports

Live child pages

Blood pressure · toothpaste

Coming

Thyroid · eye drops

Scope: US prescription and OTC human drugs. This guide is not a complete list of every 2026 recall.

Check your medicine ↓ · Recall classes ↓ · Curated recall pages ↓

How to check if your medication is recalled

1. Identify the product: note the brand or generic name, strength and form, such as a tablet, solution, eye drop or toothpaste.
2. Find the NDC (National Drug Code): look on the manufacturer’s label, carton or pharmacy label. It may look like XXXXX-XXX-XX; hyphen placement varies, so compare the digits.
3. Find the lot, batch or control number and expiration: check the manufacturer’s bottle, blister foil, tube crimp or carton. Pharmacy amber vials often omit the manufacturer’s lot. Call the pharmacy and ask which manufacturer and lot it dispensed.
4. Search and compare: use the FDA recall checker to reach the product search, then enter the drug name or NDC. Check the FDA drug record and match both the NDC or product description and the lot in that same record. A drug name or lot alone is not enough.
5. If it matches: follow the recall notice and speak with your pharmacist or doctor. Keep the bottle and packaging until you know the return instructions.

More help: how to find a lot number · what to do with a recalled product.

How to read an FDA drug recall

Open the FDA Enforcement Report for the product. The openFDA drug enforcement API presents the same kinds of fields:

• Recall number: identifies an individual recall record; drug numbers use a D- prefix.
• Event ID: groups related recall records. An event can cover more than one product.
• Product description / NDC: identifies the medicine, strength, form and package.
• Code information: the code_info field gives the affected lots or other codes, sometimes with expiration dates.
• Classification and reason: explain the risk category and why the firm recalled the product.
• Quantity: the amount reported in commerce, in the units FDA prints; it does not identify your bottle.
• Status: labels such as Ongoing or Terminated describe FDA’s recall record. A terminated recall is not proof that an old affected bottle is safe.
• Dates: initiation and report dates describe different stages. Match the product and lot even if the record is from an earlier year.

What Class I, Class II and Class III mean

These are FDA’s risk categories, summarized from its consumer drug-recall guidance:

• Class I: there is a reasonable probability that using the drug will cause serious health consequences. The risk can be immediate and life threatening. These urgent recalls generally reach the consumer level; follow the notice’s patient instructions.
• Class II: temporary health consequences are possible, but serious harm is remote. These recalls generally occur at the retail level. Patients can generally continue unless the company or FDA directs otherwise.
• Class III: use is not likely to cause health consequences, such as certain minor labeling, packaging or expiration-date errors. These recalls generally occur at the wholesale level. Patients can generally continue unless the company or FDA directs otherwise.

Should I stop taking it?

Don’t stop your medicine on your own after hearing a recall headline. Check whether your product and lot match, and follow the company’s or FDA’s instructions. For Class II and Class III recalls, FDA says patients can generally continue unless told otherwise; in some cases, stopping may be more harmful than continuing. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about your medicine and any replacement.

For Class I, follow the notice’s urgent patient instructions. Keep the packaging and check the return route: what to do with a recalled product.

Curated medication recall pages

Other OTC guide: Amazon Basic Care acetaminophen recall.

Searching by drug name (examples people ask about)

Searching for hydroxyzine, gabapentin, cipro / ciprofloxacin, trazodone, Avastin or Ozempic? Use the FDA recall checker to search the name on your packaging, then compare the product description or NDC and lot. A name in search results does not mean every bottle of that medicine is recalled. Results can include older years; this hub does not list unverified lots or quantities for those drugs.

Official sources

• FDA: Understanding Drug Recalls — What to Know and What to Do — Checked: October 26, 2026
• FDA Drug Recalls: public announcements — Checked: October 26, 2026
• FDA Enforcement Reports: recall classifications and reasons — Checked: October 26, 2026
• FDA Enforcement Report search (iRES) — Checked: October 26, 2026
• openFDA drug enforcement documentation (API data through October 14, 2026) — Checked: October 26, 2026

FDA’s public announcement index does not include every recall. Use the Enforcement Report to check the product and affected lots.

FAQ