Search openFDA drug, device, food and adverse-event datasets. Hosted by usefulapi — connect from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"openfda": {
"url": "https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"openfda": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
}Other MCP clients (Windsurf, Cline, Zed and more): add the URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser. Do not add an Authorization header: see Before you connect.
You do not need an account or a key for openFDA. You log in with your email address and a 6-digit code.
Optional: openFDA API key.
openFDA needs no credential. An optional key only raises the public rate limit.
Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your email address and a 6-digit code. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
Turn on the openFDA connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
| Tool | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
search_drug_events | read | Search drug adverse-event reports (FAERS) Search the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS): reports of drug side effects, adverse reactions and medication errors submitted to the FDA. Returns individual case reports. openFDA drug/event endpoint. |
search_drug_labels | read | Search drug product labels (SPL) Search Structured Product Labeling (SPL): the official prescribing information for drugs — indications, warnings, dosage, adverse reactions, drug interactions and more. openFDA drug/label endpoint. |
search_drug_ndc | read | Search the National Drug Code directory Search the National Drug Code (NDC) directory: every drug product's code, name, dosage form, route, active ingredients, marketing status and labeler. openFDA drug/ndc endpoint. |
search_drug_recalls | read | Search drug recall enforcement reports Search drug recall enforcement reports: recalled drug products with the reason, classification (Class I/II/III), recalling firm, distribution and status. openFDA drug/enforcement endpoint. |
search_drugsfda | read | Search Drugs@FDA approved products Search Drugs@FDA: FDA-approved drug products and their applications (NDA/ANDA/BLA), sponsors, approval dates, products and submissions. openFDA drug/drugsfda endpoint. |
search_drug_shortages | read | Search drug shortages Search current and resolved drug shortages: the affected product, status, reason, availability and related dates. openFDA drug/shortages endpoint. |
search_device_events | read | Search device adverse-event reports (MAUDE) Search the MAUDE database: medical device adverse events — reported injuries, deaths and malfunctions involving medical devices. openFDA device/event endpoint. |
search_device_510k | read | Search 510(k) premarket clearances Search 510(k) premarket notification clearances: devices cleared for market as substantially equivalent to a predicate, with applicant, decision, product code and dates. openFDA device/510k endpoint. |
search_device_recalls | read | Search device recalls Search medical device recalls: recalled devices with the reason, recalling firm, classification, product code and status. openFDA device/recall endpoint. |
search_device_classification | read | Search device classification Search the FDA device classification database: a device type's product code, device class (I/II/III), regulation number, medical specialty and submission requirements. openFDA device/classification endpoint. |
search_food_events | read | Search food/supplement/cosmetic adverse events (CAERS) Search the CFSAN Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS): adverse events and product complaints for foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics. openFDA food/event endpoint. |
search_food_recalls | read | Search food recall enforcement reports Search food recall enforcement reports: recalled food products with the reason, classification (Class I/II/III), recalling firm, distribution state and status. openFDA food/enforcement endpoint. |
count | read | Count/aggregate over an openFDA dataset openFDA's most valuable feature: aggregate over any dataset by a field to get a top-terms histogram (returns `results: [{term, count}]` instead of records). Use the '.exact' field suffix to count whole phrases. Example: endpoint 'drug/event', field 'patient.reaction.reactionmeddrapt.exact', search 'patient.drug.medicinalproduct:"aspirin"' → the most common reactions reported for aspirin. |
openfda_query | read | Query any openFDA endpoint (generic) Generic escape hatch to query ANY supported openFDA endpoint with the full parameter set — covers the less-common datasets (device/pma, device/registrationlisting, device/udi, device/covid19serology, drug/orangebook, other/nsde, other/substance, tobacco/problem, etc.). Use the named search tools for the common datasets; use this for everything else or for advanced queries. openFDA REST API. |
openfda_usage_status | Usage status (free-tier meter) Report the caller's current free-tier usage this month: calls used, monthly limit, remaining, and whether the cap is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. | |
openfda_request_feature | Request a missing feature Tell usefulapi that the user needs something the openFDA tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter. | |
openfda_upgrade | Upgrade to Pro (unlimited) Subscribe to the Pro plan for UNLIMITED openFDA tool calls (the free tier caps monthly usage). Choose monthly ($9/month) or yearly ($90/year — 2 months free) billing. Returns a Stripe Checkout link to open in your browser; after payment your account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. | |
openfda_cancel_subscription | Cancel the Pro subscription Cancel the caller's openFDA Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; unlimited calls continue until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run openfda_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter. |
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 tool calls / month |
| Pro | $9/mo · $90/yr | Unlimited |
Pro covers this openFDA server only. Subscribe with openfda_upgrade (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). Cancel any time with openfda_cancel_subscription: Pro continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and running openfda_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to [email protected].
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by openFDA. The server calls the public openFDA API for you.
Only an email address. You do not need a key for openFDA.
No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your email address and a 6-digit code. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
All 14 openFDA tools are marked read-only.
The Free plan gives 100 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with unlimited tool calls, for this openFDA server only. Run openfda_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
Ask the AI to run openfda_upgrade: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. To cancel, run openfda_cancel_subscription. Pro continues to the end of the paid period.
Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with openfda_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.
Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.
This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.