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Medical Terminologies MCP

by io.github.SidneyBissoli
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ATC Classification for a Drug

atc_classify
Read-onlyIdempotent

Look up the WHO ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical) classification(s) for a drug by name.

Use this tool to:

  • Find the ATC code for a medication (e.g., "metformin" → A10BA02)

  • Identify the therapeutic and pharmacological class hierarchy

  • Cross-reference drugs with their international ATC codes

Returns one entry per ATC code the drug belongs to. A single-ingredient drug typically maps to one substance-level code; combination products map to multiple. ATC codes are international (WHO Collaborating Centre); this tool retrieves them via NLM RxClass.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
drug_nameYesDrug name to classify (brand or generic, e.g., "metformin")

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
matchesYes
drug_nameYes
provenanceYesProvenance block (contract v1.1): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, origin diagnostics, citation, license
attributionYesCanonical source URLs of this response (attribution list)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • changedOutput schema / properties / provenance / description
      Previous value: -"Provenance block (contract v1.0): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, citation, license"New value: +"Provenance block (contract v1.1): source, URL, data vintage, extraction instant, origin diagnostics, citation, license"
    • addedOutput schema / properties / provenance / properties / retrieval
      Added value: +{
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "additionalProperties": false,
+      "properties": {
+        "anomalies": {
+          "description": "Anomalias superadas até o sucesso, somadas por classe, em ordem fixa; [] se nenhuma",
+          "items": {
+            "additionalProperties": false,
+            "properties": {
+              "count": {
+                "description": "Ocorrências desta classe na chamada",
+                "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+                "minimum": 1,
+                "type": "integer"
+              },
+              "kind": {
+                "description": "Classe da anomalia (vocabulário fechado do contrato)",
+                "enum": [
+                  "timeout",
+                  "network",
+                  "http_4xx",
+                  "http_5xx",
+                  "rate_limited",
+                  "malformed_body"
+                ],
+                "type": "string"
+              }
+            },
+            "required": [
+              "kind",
+              "count"
+            ],
+            "type": "object"
+          },
+          "type": "array"
+        },
+        "attempts": {
+          "description": "Tentativas somadas, incluindo as repetidas (>= requests)",
+          "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+          "minimum": 1,
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        "requests": {
+          "description": "Idas distintas à origem que compõem esta resposta (fatias, páginas)",
+          "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+          "minimum": 1,
+          "type": "integer"
+        },
+        "unstable": {
+          "description": "true se houve repetição (attempts > requests) ou alguma anomalia",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+        "requests",
+        "attempts",
+        "anomalies",
+        "unstable"
+      ],
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  ],
+  "description": "Origin diagnostics of THIS source in this call (contract v1.1): requests made to the upstream, attempts summed across retries, anomalies worked around (kind + count); unstable=true when any anomaly happened. null when nothing was measured (bundled dataset, or response served entirely from cache)"
+}
    • changedOutput schema / properties / provenance / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "source",
-  "source_url",
-  "data_vintage",
-  "retrieved_at",
-  "citation",
-  "license"
-]New value: +[
+  "source",
+  "source_url",
+  "data_vintage",
+  "retrieved_at",
+  "retrieval",
+  "citation",
+  "license"
+]
  2. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
  3. First observed

TDQS

A3.7/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare read-only, idempotent, open-world, non-destructive behavior, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful context beyond them: return cardinality (one entry per ATC code; single-ingredient vs. combination products) and provenance (WHO ATC codes retrieved via NLM RxClass).

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action in the first sentence and organized with a scannable bullet list. There is mild redundancy between the 'find the ATC code' and 'cross-reference drugs with their international ATC codes' bullets, but nothing is seriously padded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a one-parameter lookup with a full output schema and rich annotations, the description covers the essentials and even explains return cardinality. It omits error behavior for unrecognized drug names and, more importantly, sibling differentiation against atc_lookup/atc_members.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and the single parameter is already documented as accepting brand or generic names with an example, so the structured data does the heavy lifting. The description's example ('metformin' → A10BA02) adds a little value but no syntax or matching-rule detail beyond the schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('look up the WHO ATC classification(s) for a drug by name') and gives a concrete output example (metformin → A10BA02), so the purpose is unambiguous. However, it never distinguishes itself from the sibling tools atc_lookup and atc_members, which is exactly the ambiguity an agent faces in this tool set.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The 'Use this tool to:' bullets give usage context (find a code, get the class hierarchy, cross-reference medicines), but they elaborate the purpose rather than giving when-to-use conditions or exclusions. With atc_lookup and atc_members present, the description provides no basis for choosing between the three ATC tools.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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