Connect openFDA to Claude Code
Query openFDA directly from Claude Code. 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 Code
- 1
In the Arlet dashboard, open Data tools, find openFDA and switch it on. No API key setup is needed.
- 2
In your terminal, run claude mcp add --transport http arlet https://mcp.arlet.dev/mcp/ to add Arlet as an MCP server.
- 3
Start Claude Code, run /mcp, select arlet and click Authenticate.
- 4
Your browser opens. Sign in with Google and click Allow on the consent screen. The connection is complete.
The connection is per user and works across every project on the same machine.