drug-shortage-list-mcp
The FDA drug shortage list for AI assistants. Ask whether a drug is in shortage right now, by generic name, brand name or NDC, and get the live FDA status, availability and reason.
This is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. It reads the FDA Drug Shortages database through the openFDA API at call time. It needs no API key.
Tools
Every result has structured JSON, a one-paragraph summary, as_of, source (the exact openFDA request), the FDA database page and more (a page on mcpstamp.com).
What it knows that your model does not
- Which drugs FDA lists as in shortage today. Shortages start and end every week, and openFDA refreshes the list daily.
- Package level detail. Each listing is one NDC from one company, with its own availability and update date.
- Whether a shortage was resolved or the product is being discontinued, with the date and the FDA note.
Install
Hosted (Claude.ai custom connector, ChatGPT developer mode)
Paste this URL. No token, no sign-up. It works now.
Claude Code
Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop adds remote servers under Settings, Connectors, Add custom connector. Paste the URL above.
Cursor
Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
VS Code
Add to .vscode/mcp.json:
Local stdio (after npm release)
The npm package is not published yet. After it is, run it locally with Node 20 or newer:
Example prompts
- "Is Adderall still in shortage?"
- "Which oncology drugs are on the FDA shortage list right now?"
- "Is NDC 0641-6059-01 in shortage?"
- "How many drugs are in shortage in the US today?"
- "Was the clonazepam shortage resolved?"
Data sources
Full list with fetch dates in DATA_SOURCES.md.
Limitations
- FDA lists shortages it has confirmed. A drug can be hard to find at one pharmacy without being on the FDA list, and the answer says so.
- openFDA states that its data are not validated for clinical use. Check with a pharmacist before changing any medication.
- Without a key, openFDA allows 240 requests per minute and 1,000 per day per IP address. The tool returns a clear error when the limit is reached.
- A search returns at most 100 listings per call. Totals still come from the full database.
More
More MCP servers that answer questions your assistant cannot answer alone are on mcpstamp.com.
Part of the Zovo MCP collection: https://mcp.zovo.one
Built by theluckystrike.
Development
License
MIT