Understanding the API Results

For search queries (such as: https://api.fda.gov/cosmetic/event.json?search=initial_received_date:20040106&limit=1), the results section includes matching adverse events reports returned by the API.

Each adverse events report consists of these major sections:

• General: General information about the adverse event.
• Patient: Details on the patient that experienced the event, such as age, gender, etc.
• Products: Information on the products used while the event was experienced.
• Reactions: Information on the reactions experienced by the patient.

For count queries (such as: https://api.fda.gov/cosmetic/event.json?count=outcomes.exact), the results section will look something like the following:

[
  {
    "term": "Other Serious or Important Medical Event",
    "count": 62608
  },
  {
    "term": "Death",
    "count": 24803
  },
  {
    "term": "Hospitalization",
    "count": 15646
  },
  {
    "term": "Disability",
    "count": 483
  },
  {
    "term": "Required Intervention",
    "count": 371
  },
  {
    "term": "Life Threatening",
    "count": 367
  },
  {
    "term": "Congenital Anomaly",
    "count": 56
  }
]