The FDA, according to it's own website is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines more effective, safer and more affordable and by helping the public to get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to maintain and improve their health. 

While the U.S. FDA does everything in its power to ensure the safety of the products brought to market, their not always successful and sometimes recalls must be issued for the safety of society as a whole. Below are links to pages within the website with recall information for food products, pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices.

A recall is where a product is removed from the market by either a request by the FDA or by an order from the FDA or a volunteer recall by the manufacturer. The recall occurs when the FDA decides a product is not safe and should be removed from the market, or when the FDA feels the benefits of the product and or drug don't justify the inherent risks or side effects associated with the product.  

The type of recalls are Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Market withdrawal and a Medical device safety alert. Class 1 recalls occur when there is a reasonable probability that a consumer's use of or exposure to a drug will cause serious health problems or death. Class 2 recalls occur when the use of or exposure to a drug may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, or there is a remote risk that the drug will cause serious health problems. Class 3 recalls occur when the use of or exposure to a drug is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. Market withdrawal's occur when the drug has a minor problem that the FDA would not normally monitor. A Medical device safety alert recall occur when a medical device has an unreasonable risk of causing substantial harm.