How to Check FDA Watch Lists
Go to the FDA’s website., Access MedWatch., Find MedWatch’s safety listings.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the FDA’s website.
The FDA lists extensive information about products, food recalls, and adverse drug reactions on its website at www.fda.gov.
Since the FDA maintains the site, it is trustworthy and you’ll want to use it as your main source for “watch lists” rather than other, non-government websites.
Start here to find out more about drug recalls and changes in labeling.Type “www.fda.gov” on your web browser’s URL line to access the site.
You can also search for “FDA” or “Food and Drug Administration” on an internet search engine.
Consider bookmarking the page if you access it often.
To do this on Google Chrome, simply click the “Customize and Control” button in the upper right corner of the screen.
Then, select the option to “Bookmark this page.” -
Step 2: Access MedWatch.
The FDA’s main way to keep consumers aware of drugs on its “watch list” is through the “MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Events Reporting System.” This system accepts reports of “adverse events” like defects and quality problems, counterfeits, bad reactions, and other issues and then posts them in regular, monthly and yearly notices.You can access the MedWatch page in two ways.
One is to click the menu button at the top right-hand side of the FDA homepage and then select “MedWatch Safety Alerts” from the dropdown list.
You can also get there by clicking the “Drugs” tab and then look for the section “Recalls and Alerts.” You’ll find a link to MedWatch there, as well. , The MedWatch page gives users several main options: to report a problem, to look at safety information, and to stay informed.
The last two are important if you want to check up on the FDA’s alerts.
Find and click the blue-colored button, “Safety Information,” to access the administration’s drug watch records.From here you can search safety alerts for medicines, vaccines, medical devices, and dietary supplements going back to the year
2001.
You can also access monthly summaries of drug labeling changes back to the year
2008.
If you’re looking for older drug information, try clicking on the “MedWatch Archive 1996-2007.” This will let you download a zip file for the FDA’s safety alerts from 1996 to 1999 and drug labeling changes from 1996 to
2007. -
Step 3: Find MedWatch’s safety listings.
Detailed Guide
The FDA lists extensive information about products, food recalls, and adverse drug reactions on its website at www.fda.gov.
Since the FDA maintains the site, it is trustworthy and you’ll want to use it as your main source for “watch lists” rather than other, non-government websites.
Start here to find out more about drug recalls and changes in labeling.Type “www.fda.gov” on your web browser’s URL line to access the site.
You can also search for “FDA” or “Food and Drug Administration” on an internet search engine.
Consider bookmarking the page if you access it often.
To do this on Google Chrome, simply click the “Customize and Control” button in the upper right corner of the screen.
Then, select the option to “Bookmark this page.”
The FDA’s main way to keep consumers aware of drugs on its “watch list” is through the “MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Events Reporting System.” This system accepts reports of “adverse events” like defects and quality problems, counterfeits, bad reactions, and other issues and then posts them in regular, monthly and yearly notices.You can access the MedWatch page in two ways.
One is to click the menu button at the top right-hand side of the FDA homepage and then select “MedWatch Safety Alerts” from the dropdown list.
You can also get there by clicking the “Drugs” tab and then look for the section “Recalls and Alerts.” You’ll find a link to MedWatch there, as well. , The MedWatch page gives users several main options: to report a problem, to look at safety information, and to stay informed.
The last two are important if you want to check up on the FDA’s alerts.
Find and click the blue-colored button, “Safety Information,” to access the administration’s drug watch records.From here you can search safety alerts for medicines, vaccines, medical devices, and dietary supplements going back to the year
2001.
You can also access monthly summaries of drug labeling changes back to the year
2008.
If you’re looking for older drug information, try clicking on the “MedWatch Archive 1996-2007.” This will let you download a zip file for the FDA’s safety alerts from 1996 to 1999 and drug labeling changes from 1996 to
2007.
About the Author
Carl Long
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Carl Long brings 5 years of hands-on experience to every article. Carl believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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