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pubmed-mcp-server

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Pubmed Convert Ids

pubmed_convert_ids
Read-only

Convert DOI, PMID, or PMCID identifiers between formats in batches of up to 50; resolves only PubMed Central-indexed articles, not all PubMed records.

Instructions

Convert between article identifiers (DOI, PMID, PMCID). Accepts up to 50 IDs of a single type per request. Only resolves articles indexed in PubMed Central — for articles not in PMC, use pubmed_search_articles instead.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idsYesArticle identifiers to convert — one identifier per element, all of the same type. Each element is checked against `idType` before the request: `doi` starts with "10." and carries a "/" ("10.1093/nar/gks1195"); `pmid` is digits ("23193287"); `pmcid` is digits with an optional "PMC" prefix ("PMC3531190" or "3531190"). No element may contain a comma or whitespace — a packed value like "23193287,37952131" is rejected, so split it across elements.
idTypeYesThe type of IDs being submitted. Required so the API can unambiguously resolve them.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
errorNoPresent when the call failed. Absent on success.
recordsNoConversion results, one per input ID
totalConvertedNoNumber of IDs successfully converted
totalSubmittedNoNumber of IDs submitted

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed3 schema fields changedv2.10.12
    • changedInput schema / properties / ids / description
      Previous value: -"Article identifiers to convert. All IDs must be the same type. DOIs: \"10.1093/nar/gks1195\", PMIDs: \"23193287\", PMCIDs: \"PMC3531190\" (the \"PMC\" prefix is optional — bare digits like \"3531190\" are also accepted)."New value: +"Article identifiers to convert — one identifier per element, all of the same type. Each element is checked against `idType` before the request: `doi` starts with \"10.\" and carries a \"/\" (\"10.1093/nar/gks1195\"); `pmid` is digits (\"23193287\"); `pmcid` is digits with an optional \"PMC\" prefix (\"PMC3531190\" or \"3531190\"). No element may contain a comma or whitespace — a packed value like \"23193287,37952131\" is rejected, so split it across elements."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description
      Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `queue_full`: Local NCBI request queue is at capacity. `ncbi_unreachable`: NCBI E-utilities is unreachable after all retry attempts. `ncbi_deadline_exceeded`: Total request deadline expired before NCBI returned a response. `ncbi_invalid_response`: NCBI returned a body that could not be parsed (invalid XML/JSON). `ncbi_resource_not_found`: NCBI returned a structured \"not found\" error for the requested ID(s). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `queue_full`: Local NCBI request queue is at capacity. `ncbi_unreachable`: NCBI E-utilities is unreachable after all retry attempts. `ncbi_deadline_exceeded`: Total request deadline expired before NCBI returned a response. `ncbi_invalid_response`: NCBI returned a body that could not be parsed (invalid XML/JSON). `ncbi_resource_not_found`: NCBI returned a structured \"not found\" error for the requested ID(s). `malformed_id`: An `ids` element does not match the declared `idType` — most often several identifiers packed into one element, which the comma-delimited upstream batch would split into extra records. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / examples
      Previous value: -[
-  "queue_full",
-  "ncbi_unreachable",
-  "ncbi_deadline_exceeded",
-  "ncbi_invalid_response",
-  "ncbi_resource_not_found"
-]New value: +[
+  "queue_full",
+  "ncbi_unreachable",
+  "ncbi_deadline_exceeded",
+  "ncbi_invalid_response",
+  "ncbi_resource_not_found",
+  "malformed_id"
+]
  2. Changed6 schema fields changedv2.10.4
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
    • changedOutput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
    • addedOutput schema / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "records",
+      "totalConverted",
+      "totalSubmitted"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / error
      Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `queue_full`: Local NCBI request queue is at capacity. `ncbi_unreachable`: NCBI E-utilities is unreachable after all retry attempts. `ncbi_deadline_exceeded`: Total request deadline expired before NCBI returned a response. `ncbi_invalid_response`: NCBI returned a body that could not be parsed (invalid XML/JSON). `ncbi_resource_not_found`: NCBI returned a structured \"not found\" error for the requested ID(s). Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "queue_full",
+            "ncbi_unreachable",
+            "ncbi_deadline_exceeded",
+            "ncbi_invalid_response",
+            "ncbi_resource_not_found"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}
    • removedOutput schema / required
      Removed value: -[
-  "records",
-  "totalConverted",
-  "totalSubmitted"
-]
  3. Changed1 schema field changedv2.10.2
    • changedOutput schema / properties / records / items / properties / doi / description
      Previous value: -"Digital Object Identifier; absent if no DOI is on record"New value: +"Digital Object Identifier, cased as the PMC ID Converter reports it; absent if no DOI is on record. DOIs are case-insensitive by spec and no case normalization is applied here, so casing can differ from a Europe PMC-sourced `doi` — compare the two case-insensitively."
  4. Changed1 schema field changedv2.9.6
    • changedInput schema / properties / ids / description
      Previous value: -"Article identifiers to convert. All IDs must be the same type. DOIs: \"10.1093/nar/gks1195\", PMIDs: \"23193287\", PMCIDs: \"PMC3531190\"."New value: +"Article identifiers to convert. All IDs must be the same type. DOIs: \"10.1093/nar/gks1195\", PMIDs: \"23193287\", PMCIDs: \"PMC3531190\" (the \"PMC\" prefix is optional — bare digits like \"3531190\" are also accepted)."
  5. Addedv2.7.6
  6. Removedv2.7.4
  7. Addedv2.3.2

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint and openWorldHint, so safety is covered. The description adds real behavioral context beyond that: the 50-ID ceiling, the single-idType-per-request rule, and the PMC-only resolution scope, which materially changes what results the agent should expect. It stops short of describing unmapped-ID or partial-failure behavior.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Three short sentences, front-loaded with the core purpose, then the constraints, then the alternative. Every sentence carries a distinct piece of actionable information with no filler.

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?

With an output schema present, return values need no explanation, and the description covers scope, limits, and routing. The only omission is what happens to individually unresolvable IDs within an accepted batch, which is minor given the output schema covers results.

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 description coverage is 100% and the schema already spells out per-element format validation for doi/pmid/pmcid, the maxItems of 50, and the same-type rule. The description's 'up to 50 IDs of a single type' restates the schema rather than adding syntax or edge-case meaning, so the baseline of 3 applies.

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

Purpose5/5

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

States a specific verb and resource — 'Convert between article identifiers (DOI, PMID, PMCID)' — and enumerates the identifier types handled. It also explicitly separates itself from pubmed_search_articles for the non-PMC case, so an agent can route correctly without opening the schema.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Gives an explicit precondition (articles must be indexed in PubMed Central), a hard operational limit (up to 50 IDs, single type per request), and names the concrete alternative (pubmed_search_articles) for the excluded case. Both when-to-use and when-not-to-use are covered.

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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