# Reported issues for openfda-mcp-server Pod holds 16 of 16 GitHub reports that passed its relevance review. This can include external user reports, maintainer-confirmed bugs, and concrete feature gaps. Treat them as evidence to inspect, not a count of distinct defects. Back to [openfda-mcp-server](/mcp/openfda-mcp-server). ## Most discussed ### feat(drug_profile): accept drug_name as an alias of drug ### Use case `openfda_drug_profile` takes the drug as `drug`. A caller that sends `{ "drug_name": "aspirin" }` gets `-32602` (`drug: expected string, received undefined, Unrecognized key: "drug_name"`). `drug_name` is the name a model reaches for first, its meaning is not in doubt, and the tool has only the one parameter it could map to. ### Proposed behavior Accept `drug_name` (and `name`) as aliases of `drug`, so the call succeeds instead of costing a retry. The advertised schema keeps… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/53) · 2026-09-18 · closed · 2 comments ### bug(count_values): uncountable fields lead to a suffix-toggle recovery loop ### Server version 0.7.7 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description Some advertised fields cannot be aggregated by `openfda_count_values` in either bare or `.exact` form. The bare field answers a 5xx `illegal_argument_exception`, and `.exact` answers `404 Nothing to count`. Each `not_aggregatable` message suggests the other form, then falls back to `openfda_describe_fields`. That tool lists these… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/49) · 2026-08-11 · closed · 2 comments ### bug(get_drug_label): selected table sections return raw SPL markup ### Server version 0.7.8 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_get_drug_label` writes SPL `*_table` sections into `content[]` as raw SPL table markup with encoded entities. `format()` joins every section value verbatim, so a caller that selects a table section (or follows an outline that recommends one) must parse ``, ``, `colspan`/`rowspan`, and `†`… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/45) · 2026-08-11 · closed · 2 comments ### bug(search_recalls): staged device/recall rows drop identity and status columns ### Server version 0.7.8 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_search_recalls` with `stage: true` stages rows against `RECALLS_CANVAS_SCHEMA`, which lists only enforcement fields. The canvas ignores fields outside the schema, so staged `device/recall` rows lose their identity (`product_res_number`), status (`recall_status`), `root_cause_description`, and `event_date_*` columns. SQL… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/59) · 2026-09-22 · closed · 1 comment ### bug(count_values): "Nothing to count" on a countable field reports not_aggregatable ### Server version 0.7.7 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport stdio ### Description `openfda_count_values` reports `not_aggregatable` for a countable field when the search matches only records that lack the field. openFDA answers that case with `404 Nothing to count`, which `classifyError` maps to `not_aggregatable` with a "drop .exact" correction. The field counts fine; the matched set simply carries no values for it, so the… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/57) · 2026-09-22 · closed · 1 comment ### bug(canvas): staging search tools don't declare canvas_not_found or canvas_capacity_exhausted ### Server version 0.7.5 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport stdio ### Description The eight search tools that stage to DataCanvas (`openfda_search_*`, `openfda_lookup_ndc`) accept a `canvas_id`, but their `errors[]` contracts omit the two failures `canvas.acquire()` raises: `canvas_not_found` (a well-formed id that expired or never existed) and `canvas_capacity_exhausted` (minting a canvas at the tenant cap). Both reach the… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/54) · 2026-09-22 · closed · 1 comment ### feat(canvas): staged responses never name openfda_dataframe_describe ### Use case Every openFDA search tool that stages to a DataCanvas hands back a `canvas_id` pointing only at `openfda_dataframe_query` — `openfda_dataframe_describe` is never named, in the enrichment notice, `content[]`, the output-field descriptions, or any tool's own `description`. An agent holding the handle has the table name but no route to the column names, so it writes SQL against a schema it hasn't seen — a field the inline preview renders out of a JSON block… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/50) · 2026-08-13 · closed · 1 comment ### bug(pagination): exhausted pages reset known totals to zero ### Server version 0.7.7 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description A search page requested past the end of its result set returns `totalResults: 0`. openFDA answers any `skip` at or beyond the match count with the same `404 No matches found!` it uses for a zero-match query, and `OpenFdaService.classifyError` turns that 404 into `meta.total: 0` without recovering the real total. The response then… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/47) · 2026-08-11 · closed · 1 comment ## Most recent ### feat(search_recalls): retain affected-lot codes in enforcement staging ### Use case A pharmacist analyzing staged drug recalls needs to identify affected lots and expiry dates. Enforcement records return `code_info`, but the staged table discards it, so that step cannot be completed through SQL. ### Proposed behavior Add nullable `code_info` to the enforcement staging schema in `openfda_search_recalls` and expose it through `openfda_dataframe_describe`. Example: stage `{"category":"drug","search":"openfda.generic_name:\"METFORMIN HYDROCHLORIDE\"","limit":2}`.… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/69) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### feat(search): bounded retrieval for oversized single records ### Use case An exploratory `openfda_search_adverse_events` call can return a single 100 KB record even with `limit:1`. Reducing the page size cannot help a client that needs a bounded view of that report. Related: #39 ### Proposed behavior Add selective record-field retrieval or an outline for an oversized single record, retaining its identity and a concrete re-call route. Keep both response surfaces aligned and never render a real match as an empty page. Always disclose an over-budget… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/66) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### bug(search_animal_events): masked brands break the advertised search ### Server version 0.7.9 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version 1.4.2 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_search_animal_events` advertises `drug.brand_name:"Bravecto"`, but the provider masks veterinary brands as `MSK`. Empty-result recovery recommends the same masked field and does not explain the limitation. ### Steps to reproduce 1. Search `animal.species:"Dog" AND drug.brand_name:"Bravecto"`: zero reports. 2. Count… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/65) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### bug(sort): unsupported directions silently return unsorted results ### Server version 0.7.9 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version 1.4.2 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description The shared sort pattern accepts unsupported directions. openFDA returns success while ignoring the requested ordering; HTTP 200 does not establish that sorting worked. Related: #38 ### Steps to reproduce Call `openfda_search_recalls` with: ```json {"category":"drug","search":"openfda.generic_name:\"METFORMIN… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/64) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### bug(drug_profile): total excludes reports without seriousness ### Server version 0.7.9 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version 1.4.2 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_drug_profile` computes `adverse_events.total` by summing `serious` count buckets, silently excluding reports without that field. ### Steps to reproduce 1. Call `openfda_drug_profile` with `{"drug":"metformin"}`. 2. Search adverse events with… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/63) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### bug(field-catalog): correct outcome codes and date/identifier meanings ### Server version 0.7.9 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version 1.4.2 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_describe_fields` supplies incorrect field meanings that can misdirect queries and interpretation. ### Steps to reproduce Call the tool for `drug/event`, `drug/shortages`, and `drug/ndc`. ### Actual behavior - `patient.reaction.reactionoutcome`: `4=fatal, 5=unknown`; code 6 is omitted. - Shortage date notes say YYYYMMDD,… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/62) · 2026-09-30 · open · 0 comments ### bug(search_recalls): device recalls render enforcement fields as N/A ### Server version 0.7.3 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.11.1 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.3.14 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_search_recalls` formats `device/recall` records with `device/enforcement`'s field names. `device/recall` has no `recall_number`, `status`, `voluntary_mandated`, or hazard-classification field — identity is `product_res_number`, status is `recall_status`, and `openfda.device_class` is a distinct device-class rating, not… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/46) · 2026-08-11 · closed · 1 comment ### bug(count_values): exact-limit result sets report false truncation ### Server version 0.7.7 ### mcp-ts-core version 0.13.6 ### Runtime Bun ### Runtime version Bun 1.4.0 ### Transport HTTP (Streamable HTTP) ### Description `openfda_count_values` marks every response whose row count equals `limit` as truncated, even when the result set is exhaustive. A binary field then claims that more distinct values may exist when both values are already present. Related: #7 ### Steps to reproduce 1. Call `openfda_count_values` with `{ "endpoint": "drug/event",… [Read the thread](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues/44) · 2026-08-11 · closed · 1 comment The remaining reports are on [the project's issue tracker](https://github.com/cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server/issues).