Connect openFDA to Claude
Query openFDA directly from Claude. Arlet links the two through one MCP connection and takes care of API keys.
This server connects your AI client to openFDA, the FDA's public API over its drug, food and device datasets. It is the working reference for US pharmaceutical regulatory information.
Key features:
- search_drug_labels: find a drug's official product label by brand or generic name and read the clinically important sections - indications, dosage, boxed and other warnings, contraindications, adverse reactions and drug interactions. Long sections are truncated to stay readable.
- summarize_adverse_events: aggregate FAERS spontaneous reports for a drug - the most frequently reported reactions, or breakdowns by seriousness, reporter country or patient sex. The response always carries the caveat that counts are reporting frequency, not incidence or causation.
- search_recalls: search enforcement reports for drugs, foods and devices by product keyword and recall classification (Class I = most serious), newest first.
Arlet supplies the API key, so the higher per-key limit (240 requests/minute, 120,000/day) applies with no setup on your side; that quota is shared across Arlet users.
Important: openFDA data is not validated by the FDA and must not be used to make decisions regarding medical care; every tool response repeats this disclaimer.
How to connect openFDA to Claude
- 1
In the Arlet dashboard, open Data tools, find openFDA and switch it on. No API key setup is needed.
- 2
In Claude, open Organization settings → Connectors from the account menu at the bottom left, then click + Add.
- 3
Choose Custom → Web, enter "Arlet" as the Name and https://mcp.arlet.dev/mcp/ as the Remote MCP server URL, then click Add. Authentication settings are auto-detected, so keep the defaults.
- 4
The first time you use it, sign in with Google. After that, every service you switched on in Arlet is available from Claude.
Adding a connector is done by an organization admin on Team / Enterprise plans. On Pro / Max you can add it for yourself from Settings → Connectors with the same steps.