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PubMed MCP

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A MCP server for PubMed data

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Overview

PubMed MCP is a server that allows users to search and fetch articles from the PubMed database, which contains over 35 million citations for biomedical literature.

To use PubMed MCP, you need to add specific configurations to your claude_desktop_config.json file, ensuring that the necessary command and environment variables are set up correctly.

  • Search and fetch articles from the extensive PubMed database. - Utilizes the pubmedclient Python package for efficient operations. - Supports integration with the Claude desktop application.
  1. Researchers can quickly access relevant biomedical literature for their studies.
  2. Students can find articles for their assignments and projects.
  3. Healthcare professionals can stay updated with the latest research findings.

Add to your AI client

Use these steps to connect PubMed MCP in Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and other MCP-compatible apps. The same JSON appears in the Use with menu above for one-click copy.

Cursor

Add this to your .cursor/mcp.json file in your project root, then restart Cursor.

.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add this server entry to the mcpServers object in your Claude Desktop config, then restart the app.

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Add this to your project's .mcp.json file. Claude Code will detect it automatically.

.mcp.json (project root)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code (Copilot)

Add this to your .vscode/mcp.json file. Requires the GitHub Copilot extension with MCP support enabled.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

Add this to your Windsurf MCP config file, then restart Windsurf.

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cline

Open Cline settings, navigate to MCP Servers, and add this server configuration.

Cline MCP Settings (via UI)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pubmedmcp-grll": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-pubmedmcp-grll"
      ]
    }
  }
}

FAQ

What is PubMed?

PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics.

How do I install the required components?

Ensure that the 'uv' command is installed on your system and that 'uvx' is available in your PATH.

Can I use PubMed MCP for all types of articles?

Yes, PubMed MCP provides access to a wide range of biomedical literature, including articles from life science journals and online books.

Research and data