canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/cdisc.org/cdisc

# CDISC Library API

The CDISC Library API serves CDISC's clinical research data standards as structured metadata. It searches the library, lists the available products, and reads controlled terminology packages, codelists, and terms. It also returns CDASH and SDTM classes, domains, and datasets by version. Authentication uses an API key, and the surface is read-only for tooling that builds against CDISC standards.

## For AI agents

Search the CDISC Library, list its products, read controlled terminology packages, codelists, and terms, and look up CDASH and SDTM classes, domains, and datasets by version.

## Scope

Does not store patient data, run studies, or write to the library. Use for reading CDISC standards metadata and controlled terminology only.

## Capabilities

- Search the CDISC Library for standards content
- List the standards products the library publishes
- Read controlled terminology packages, codelists, and terms
- Look up CDASH classes and domains by version
- Look up SDTM classes and datasets by version

## Use cases

### AI agent clinical standards lookup

An AI agent building clinical data mappings can pull CDISC metadata on demand. Through Jentic the agent searches by intent and the API key never enters its prompt context, so a standards assistant can look up codelists and datasets without a hand-built integration.

Example prompt: Use Jentic to search 'search the CDISC Library', call GET `/mdr/search` with a query, and read the matching standards content.

### Controlled terminology retrieval

A data-management agent needs the exact terms in a controlled terminology codelist. It lists the terminology packages and then reads a codelist's terms, keeping submissions aligned to the published values rather than a stale copy.

Example prompt: List packages with GET `/mdr/ct/packages`, then read the terms via GET `/mdr/ct/packages/{package}/codelists/{codelist}/terms.`

### SDTM dataset mapping

When mapping source data to SDTM, an agent needs the datasets defined for a version. It reads the SDTM datasets for a version so a mapping workflow builds against the correct structure.

Example prompt: Read SDTM datasets for a version via GET `/mdr/sdtm/{version}/datasets` and use them to build a mapping.

### CDASH domain reference

A study-design agent references CDASH domains when designing data-collection forms. It reads the CDASH domains for a class and version, so a form-design workflow follows the published CDASH structure.

Example prompt: Read CDASH domains via GET `/mdr/cdash/{version}/classes/{className}/domains` for the study's version.

## Key endpoints

| Method | Path | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GET | `/mdr/search` | Search the CDISC Library |
| GET | `/mdr/products` | List standards products |
| GET | `/mdr/ct/packages` | List controlled terminology packages |
| GET | `/mdr/ct/packages/{package}/codelists/{codelist}/terms` | Read a codelist's terms |
| GET | `/mdr/cdash/{version}` | Read a CDASH version |
| GET | `/mdr/cdash/{version}/classes/{className}/domains` | Read CDASH domains for a class |
| GET | `/mdr/sdtm/{version}` | Read an SDTM version |
| GET | `/mdr/sdtm/{version}/datasets` | Read SDTM datasets for a version |

## Key resources

- **Search** — Full-text search across the CDISC Library
- **Products** — The standards products the library publishes
- **Controlled Terminology** — Packages, codelists, and terms
- **Foundational Standards** — CDASH and SDTM classes, domains, and datasets

## AI readiness

This API is usable in Jentic One now. Its AI-readiness score against Jentic's framework shows where it stands today and where improvements would make it even easier for agents to use.

- **Score:** 25 / 100
- **Maturity:** Non-Ready
- **Dimensions:**
  - Foundational Compliance: 79 / 100
  - Developer Experience & Jentic Compatibility: 87 / 100
  - AI-Readiness & Agent Experience: 9 / 100
  - Agent Usability: 69 / 100
  - Security: 33 / 100
  - AI Discoverability: 56 / 100
- **View full report:** https://jentic.com/apis/cdisc.org/cdisc/scorecard
- **How the score is calculated:** https://docs.jentic.com/reference/api-readiness-framework/overview/
- **More about the dimensions:** https://docs.jentic.com/reference/api-readiness-framework/specification/#dimensional-model-overview

### Score it yourself

Every API in the directory is allowlisted, so you can re-score it with no key required.

- **Score your own API:** https://jentic.com/scorecard.md
- **Scoring CLI agent skill:** https://github.com/jentic/jentic-api-scorecard/blob/main/skills/jentic-api-scorecard/SKILL.md

```sh
npx @jentic/api-scorecard-cli score <openapi-url>
```

## Why Jentic

- **Setup:** Wiring the CDISC Library API by hand means managing its api-key header against api.library.cdisc.org and encoding the search and standards calls yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import it from the API Directory, store the key once, and your agent calls it.
- **Permission scoping:** The library puts the package, codelist, and version in the URL path (`/mdr/ct/packages/{package}/codelists/{codelist}/terms`), so a rule can pin your agent to a package or standard. You choose the operations it may call, and the whole surface is read-only.
- **Credential handling:** Your CDISC API key is stored once, encrypted, by your own Jentic One instance and injected at execution time. It never enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context.
- **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'read a codelist' or 'list SDTM datasets', and Jentic returns the matching operation with its input schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs.

## Related APIs

- **NLM Clinical Table Search** — The NLM Clinical Table Search Service looks up clinical codes and terminology
- **ClinicalTrials.gov** — ClinicalTrials.gov reports registered clinical studies and their protocols
- **NLM** — The NLM APIs provide biomedical literature and health data

## FAQ

### Is there a CDISC Library API MCP server?

You don't need an MCP server to give your agent the CDISC Library. Jentic connects it directly from the API Directory: import it, store your key once, and your agent calls the search and standards operations. That keeps your agent's context free of an extra server's tool definitions.

### What authentication does the CDISC Library API use?

It authenticates with an API key sent in the api-key header, per its OpenAPI spec. Through Jentic the key is stored encrypted by your own instance and injected at call time, so it never reaches the agent's context.

### Can I look up controlled terminology with the CDISC Library API?

Yes. GET `/mdr/ct/packages` lists the terminology packages, and GET `/mdr/ct/packages/{package}/codelists/{codelist}/terms` returns the terms in a specific codelist so a submission uses the published values.

### How do I search the CDISC Library through Jentic?

Search Jentic for 'search the CDISC Library', load the input schema, and execute GET `/mdr/search` with your query. To run it on your own infrastructure, install Jentic One from its GitHub repo.

### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the CDISC Library API?

Yes. Write a rule that allows only the search and controlled-terminology operations, so the agent can read standards content and codelists and nothing else, and every call it makes is logged. Because the whole surface is read-only, no operation can change library data regardless.