Recalls and Safety Alerts: How to Find Them and What to Do
Where to look for supplement recalls and safety alerts from FDA, Health Canada and the UK MHRA, how US recall classes are defined, and what to do if a product you use is named.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
If you may already have been harmed
If a product has made someone seriously ill, call 911 for collapse, seizure, trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat. For other poisoning questions in the US, Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222. For a mental health crisis in the US, call 988. Keep the package. Then see Poisoning: What to Do First.Recall or alert: what is the difference?
FDA defines a recall as an action taken by a firm to remove a product from the market, which may be on the firm's own initiative, at FDA's request, or by FDA order. [1] FDA also issues public health alerts and consumer advisories, which can warn about products even when no recall is under way. [2] FDA classes recalls by risk. Class I means a reasonable probability that using the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. [1]Where to look
| Country | Where the official source points | What we read |
|---|---|---|
| United States | FDA's list of recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts. It can be filtered by product type, including dietary supplements, and you can sign up for notices. [3] | FDA says not all recalls have press releases or are posted on that page, and entries stay on the site three years before being archived. [3] |
| United States | FDA's alerts and advisories page for food and dietary supplements. [2] | The page links to public health alerts, consumer advisories and other safety information. [2] |
| United States | FDA's Health Fraud Scams page, which lists a Health Fraud Product Database of unapproved products subject to health-fraud violations, and offers notification sign-up. [4] | We could not open the database itself this session, so we do not describe its contents. |
| Canada | Government of Canada "Find recalls, advisories and safety alerts" search, with email notices and a way to report an incident. [5] | The page shows health product recalls alongside consumer product and vehicle recalls. [5] |
| United Kingdom | MHRA "Alerts, recalls and safety information: medicines and medical devices", with a "Medicines recall/notification" message type, email alerts and a feed. [6] | The sources we read do not say whether herbal or food supplements are covered by that list, so check the product type. |
| Australia, EU | Not verified. We could not read the Australian TGA or EU Safety Gate pages this session. | Proper evidence not found. |
What a recall notice usually contains
FDA's recall list has columns for date, product description, product type, recall reason and company, and lets you filter by product type. [3] Compare these details with the package: name, size, lot number and dates. If you cannot tell whether your package matches, ask a pharmacist.What to do if your product is named
- Read the notice itself for its instructions; each notice differs.
- Keep the package, label and lot number until you have been told otherwise.
- If you feel unwell, contact a clinician or Poison Help. FDA's advice for a reaction to a supplement is to stop using the product and file a safety report. [7] This applies to a supplement; do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without asking the prescriber or pharmacist.
- Report the reaction. FDA says anyone may report to its Safety Reporting Portal. [8] See how to report in the US. In the UK, anyone can report an issue with a medicine to the Yellow Card scheme, run by the MHRA. [9] In Canada the recall site has a form to report an incident. [5] More on UK, Canada, Australia and EU reporting.
Alerts that are not recalls
FDA publishes warnings about products that it has tested and found adulterated, for example certain products labeled as tejocote root or Brazil seed that were substituted with yellow oleander, a toxic plant. [4] Its health fraud news list also includes products with undisclosed drug ingredients. [4] FDA notes that it has issued abuse complaints to website registrars about sites offering potentially counterfeit or adulterated products. [4] See Hidden Drugs in Supplements and Adulteration and Mislabeling.Limits
A product that is not on a recall list is not thereby shown to be safe. FDA does not approve supplements before sale. [10] Health Canada says unauthorized health products have not been assessed for safety, effectiveness and quality. [11]Frequently asked questions
Is there one list of every supplement recall?
Proper evidence not found. FDA says its list is gathered from press releases and public notices and does not include every recall. [3]
How long do FDA recall entries stay online?
FDA says its recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts are available on its site for three years before being archived. [3]
Can I get alerts by email?
FDA, Health Canada and the MHRA each offer email notices on the pages we read. [3][5][6]
Should I keep taking a recalled supplement while I wait for details?
Follow the instructions in the notice. FDA's general advice for a reaction to a supplement is to stop using it and report it. [7] For prescribed medicines, ask the prescriber or pharmacist; do not change them on your own.
What does Class I mean?
FDA defines a Class I recall as one where there is a reasonable probability that exposure to the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. [1]
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Recalls Background and Definitions (content current as of 2026-03-20). Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Alerts, Advisories & Safety Information. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts (content current as of 2026-10-22). Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Health Fraud Scams (content current as of 2026-07-22). Read 2026-10-22.
- Government of Canada. Find recalls, advisories and safety alerts. Read 2026-10-22.
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK). Alerts, recalls and safety information: medicines and medical devices. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to Report a Problem with Dietary Supplements (content current as of 2025-03-13). Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements. Read 2026-10-22.
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK). Yellow Card reporting site. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements (content current as of 2022-10-21). Read 2026-10-22.
- Health Canada. Public advisory: products sold by an Ayurvedic clinic in Toronto, ON, may pose serious health risks (update of 2022-02-01). Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.