openFDA MCP server

Search openFDA drug, device, food and adverse-event datasets. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.

Connect openFDAFree 50 tool calls / monthPro $9/mo · $90/yr · pricing18 tools

What can I ask?

Turn on the openFDA connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.

What are the most commonly reported side effects of ibuprofen?
Have there been any Class I food recalls for peanut products recently?
Is amoxicillin currently listed as a drug shortage, and what is the reason?
What warnings are on the official label for metformin?

What you can do with openFDA in Claude and ChatGPT

For pharmacists, regulatory and quality teams and researchers who look up FDA drug, device and food data.

Review a drug's prescribing information

The AI searches drug labels (SPL) and reads the indications, warnings, dosage, adverse reactions and drug interactions for a drug.

Find the most reported side effects of a drug

The AI counts adverse-event reports (FAERS) by reaction term for a drug and shows the top terms. It can open single case reports.

Look up drug recalls and shortages

The AI searches drug recalls (class, reason, recalling firm, status) and drug shortages (status, reason, availability).

Find food recalls and food adverse events

The AI searches food recalls by class and reason, and the complaints for foods, supplements and cosmetics (CAERS).

Check device clearance, class, recalls and events

The AI searches 510(k) clearances, device classification, device recalls and MAUDE adverse events for a device or product code.

Look up approved drug products and drug codes

The AI searches Drugs@FDA for approved products, applications and sponsors, and the NDC directory for codes, dosage forms and labelers.

How do I connect openFDA?

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.

Claude claude.ai · Desktop

Open Customize → Connectors, then click + Add → Add custom connector.
Enter the name openFDA and this URL, then click Add:
https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp
Claude opens the login page: enter your email and the 6-digit code from [email protected] (no openFDA key needed).
In a chat, click + → Connectors and turn on openFDA.

Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.

ChatGPT chatgpt.com

Open Plugins, click +, then Add custom MCP server.
Enter the name openFDA and this URL, choose OAuth as the authentication, confirm the warning and create it:
https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp
ChatGPT opens the login page: enter your email and the 6-digit code from [email protected] (no openFDA key needed).
In Plugins, install openFDA, then choose it in a chat.

No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.

Claude Code

Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:

claude mcp add --transport http openfda https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp

Cursor

Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openfda": {
      "url": "https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "openfda": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Codex

Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:

codex mcp add openfda --url https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp

codex mcp login openfda

Other clients

Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.

https://openfda.usefulapi.io/mcp

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.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Limit
Free	$0	50 tool calls / month
Pro	$9/mo · $90/yr	10,000 tool calls / month
Pro+	$39/mo · $390/yr	100,000 tool calls / month

Each paid plan covers this openFDA server only. Ask your AI to run openfda_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. The change requires your confirmation, keeps your billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. Cancel any time with openfda_cancel_subscription: your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and asking to resume the same plan with openfda_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to [email protected].

Tools 18

Show all 18 tools (the AI picks them for you)

Read only · 14

Search drug adverse-event reports (FAERS)openfda_search_drug_events
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 product labels (SPL)openfda_search_drug_labels
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 the National Drug Code directoryopenfda_search_drug_ndc
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 recall enforcement reportsopenfda_search_drug_recalls
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 Drugs@FDA approved productsopenfda_search_drugsfda
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 shortagesopenfda_search_drug_shortages
Search current and resolved drug shortages: the affected product, status, reason, availability and related dates. openFDA drug/shortages endpoint.
Search device adverse-event reports (MAUDE)openfda_search_device_events
Search the MAUDE database: medical device adverse events — reported injuries, deaths and malfunctions involving medical devices. openFDA device/event endpoint.
Search 510(k) premarket clearancesopenfda_search_device_510k
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 recallsopenfda_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 classificationopenfda_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/supplement/cosmetic adverse events (CAERS)openfda_search_food_events
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 recall enforcement reportsopenfda_search_food_recalls
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/aggregate over an openFDA datasetopenfda_count
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.
Query any openFDA endpoint (generic)openfda_query
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.

Your usefulapi plan · 4

Usage status (free-tier meter)openfda_usage_status
Report the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter.
Request a missing featureopenfda_request_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.
Upgrade to Pro or Pro+openfda_upgrade
Get a paid plan for openFDA (the free tier caps monthly usage). Pro: 10,000 tool calls a month, for normal use — plan "monthly" ($9/month) or "yearly" ($90/year, 2 months free). Pro+: 100,000 tool calls a month, for automations and heavy use — plan "plus" ($39/month) or "plus_yearly" ($390/year). Without a plan it returns both Pro and Pro+, each with a payment link, for the user to choose; with a plan, one link. An existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place (needs confirm: true; the price difference for the rest of the period is charged at once). Cancel any time: the plan then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. A link opens Stripe Checkout in the browser; after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter.
Cancel the Pro subscriptionopenfda_cancel_subscription
Cancel the caller's openFDA Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues 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.

FAQ

What can I do with openFDA in Claude or ChatGPT?

Review a drug's prescribing information. Find the most reported side effects of a drug. Look up drug recalls and shortages. Find food recalls and food adverse events. Check device clearance, class, recalls and events. Look up approved drug products and drug codes. See what you can do for the details.

Is this an official openFDA product?

No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by openFDA. The server calls the public openFDA API for you.

Can I connect openFDA to Claude or ChatGPT?

Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.

What do I need to connect?

Only an email address. You do not need a key for openFDA.

Do I add an Authorization header to the client config?

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.

Can the AI change my openFDA data?

All 14 openFDA tools are marked read-only.

What does it cost?

The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with 10,000 tool calls / month. Pro+ costs $39/mo or $390/yr, with 100,000 tool calls / month. Each subscription covers this openFDA server only. Cancel any time: your paid plan then runs to the end of the paid period. Run openfda_usage_status to see how many calls you used.

How do I subscribe or cancel?

Ask the AI to run openfda_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. After you confirm, your existing subscription changes in place, keeps its billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. To cancel, run openfda_cancel_subscription. Your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period.

What if a openFDA tool that I need is missing?

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.

Which AI clients can I use?

Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, 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.

Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.

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