Pubmed MCP Server
PubMed scientific literature search, metadata retrieval, and paper analysis access.
Data last scanned today · Reviewed today
Overview
PubMed MCP Server provides a direct interface for AI assistants to interact with the PubMed database. It enables models to perform keyword-based searches for biomedical literature, fetch detailed article metadata, and attempt to download full-text PDF content for deeper examination. Designed to support research workflows, the server includes specialized prompts intended to assist in the analysis of scientific papers. It is implemented in Python and utilizes the FastMCP library for standardized integration with various AI development environments.
Our verdict
With a security score of 28/100, this server is categorized as high risk. The assessment is primarily driven by the fact that the project has not been editorially reviewed and its last commit was over 488 days ago, indicating a lack of recent maintenance or updates. Given the absence of a reviewed authentication method and the status of read-only mode, users should exercise caution. This tool is best suited for research environments where security risks can be managed locally and not for sensitive or enterprise data pipelines.
- Zero direct dependencies reduce potential supply-chain vulnerabilities.
- Provides built-in specialized prompts for biomedical paper analysis.
- Licensed under the permissive MIT license.
- Includes functional documentation for common AI client setups.
- Repository has not been updated in over 488 days.
- Authentication and read-only modes remain unreviewed for security.
- Lacks an official vendor maintenance status.
- No official editorial review conducted on the source code.
Tools
| Tool | Description | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| search_pubmed_key_words | Search for articles on PubMed using keywords. | low |
| search_pubmed_advanced | Perform an advanced search for articles on PubMed with multiple parameters. | low |
| get_pubmed_article_metadata | Fetch metadata for a PubMed article using its PMID. | low |
| download_pubmed_pdf | Attempt to download the full-text PDF for a PubMed article. | low |
| deep_paper_analysis | Perform a comprehensive analysis of a PubMed article. | low |
Compatibility
| Client | Local | Docker | Remote | Read-only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | ||||
| Cursor | ||||
| VS Code | ||||
| Windsurf | ||||
| ChatGPT |
Frequently asked questions
›What are the system prerequisites for running this server?
The server requires Python 3.10 or higher and the FastMCP library.
›Can this server download full-text documents?
Yes, the server includes a tool specifically for attempting to download the full-text PDF content of a PubMed article.
›What specific search capabilities are available?
You can perform basic searches using keywords with the search_pubmed_key_words tool or execute advanced searches with multiple parameters using the search_pubmed_advanced tool.
›Does this tool provide article analysis?
Yes, it provides a deep_paper_analysis tool to perform a comprehensive analysis of papers and includes specialized prompts for this purpose.
›Are there specific usage guidelines?
This tool is intended for research purposes only, and users are expected to respect PubMed's terms of service.
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