Openfda MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Openfda MCP Server

before you install - you'll need

Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, OPENFDA_API_KEY before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add cyanheads-openfda-mcp-server --transport http https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-openfda-mcp-server": {
      "url": "https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp

transport: streamable-http

endpoint alive - responded to MCP initialize · probed 2026-09-30

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions · remote - your agent's requests go to openfda.caseyjhand.com

endpoint auth accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize - no credentials needed to connect

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

npm package @cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server - published under the repo owner's npm scope (@cyanheads)

registry namespace io.github.cyanheads is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Openfda MCP Server can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can search adverse event reports across drugs, food, and devices, search adverse event reports for veterinary drugs and devices, search problem reports for tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and vaping devices, and search enforcement reports and recall actions across drugs, food, and devices.

The 14 tools it gives your agent

Extracted from the project's README - what openfda-mcp-server lets an agent do.

openfda_drug_profile: - One drug name → consolidated FDA profile: identity, label, adverse events, recalls, approval, shortage
openfda_search_adverse_events: - Search adverse event reports across drugs, food, and devices
openfda_search_animal_events: - Search adverse event reports for veterinary drugs and devices
openfda_search_drug_shortages: - Search FDA drug shortage records - status, availability, therapeutic category, manufacturer
openfda_search_tobacco_reports: - Search problem reports for tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and vaping devices
openfda_search_recalls: - Search enforcement reports and recall actions across drugs, food, and devices
openfda_count_values: - Aggregate and tally unique values for any field across any openFDA endpoint
openfda_describe_fields: - Return searchable field paths for an openFDA endpoint, grouped by category
openfda_get_drug_label: - Look up FDA drug labeling (package inserts / SPL documents)
openfda_search_drug_approvals: - Search the Drugs@FDA database for NDA/ANDA application approvals
openfda_search_device_clearances: - Search FDA device premarket notifications - 510(k) clearances and PMA approvals
openfda_lookup_ndc: - Look up drugs in the NDC (National Drug Code) Directory

show all 14 tools

openfda_dataframe_query: - Run read-only SQL over a result set staged on a DataCanvas (opt-in)
openfda_dataframe_describe: - List tables and column schemas staged on a DataCanvas (opt-in)

Latest releases

v0.7.9 · 2026-09-22

SPL table rendering and device/recall field mapping · openfda_get_drug_label renders _table sections as Markdown tables in text output, structured output unchanged (#45) · table footnotes numbered in one sequence per…

v0.7.8 · 2026-09-22

Count catalog and count/pagination edge-case fixes · openfda_describe_fields returns each field's verified count form as countAs (#49) · openfda_count_values returns an empty tally, not an error, when a countable field…

v0.7.7 · 2026-09-22

canvas error declarations, describe-first staging, typed tests · Staging search tools (openfda_search_, openfda_lookup_ndc) declare canvas_not_found and canvas_capacity_exhausted in errors[], matching what…

04 · Who maintains Openfda MCP Server

openfda-mcp-server is maintained by cyanheads. We track 137 MCP servers from cyanheads - 131 actively maintained, 1,856 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Dec 2024. Full record: all servers from cyanheads.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server
category: memory - ranked #103 of 321 actively-maintained memory servers as of 2026-09-30.
release cadence: 10+ releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-09-22)
registry: io.github.cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server (active, first published 2026-04-03 · 36 versions)
packages: npm:@cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server · npm:@cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server

06 · Openfda MCP Server FAQ

Is Openfda MCP Server still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-09-30, its last commit was 2026-09-22 and it shipped 10+ releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Openfda MCP Server do?

With this server connected, an agent can search adverse event reports across drugs, food, and devices, search adverse event reports for veterinary drugs and devices, search problem reports for tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and vaping devices, and search enforcement reports and recall actions across drugs, food, and devices.

How do I install Openfda MCP Server?

Run `npx -y @cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server`. The README documents 3 environment variables (MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, OPENFDA_API_KEY) to set first. Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, OPENFDA_API_KEY before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Openfda MCP Server require authentication?

No - the endpoint accepted our unauthenticated MCP initialize when probed on 2026-09-30; you can connect without credentials.

07 · Alternatives to Openfda MCP Server

Alternatives to Openfda MCP Server

Maintained memory servers if Openfda MCP Server isn't the fit.

Pairs well with

Servers that cover what Openfda MCP Server doesn't - only shown when the pairing reason fits the companion.

More memory MCP servers · KLYPIX Project Brain · Dakera MCP · inspeximus: agent memory with provenance, GDPR erasure and a tamper-evident audit trail · Mnemo · Knowl

More TypeScript MCP servers · Openfec MCP Server · Openlibrary MCP Server · Openstates MCP Server · Openstreetmap MCP Server · Orcid MCP Server · see all