Drug Classes¶
Retrieves drug class information for a given RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier (RxCUI). It queries the RxClass service via the RxNorm API and returns a formatted JSON string containing the classes associated with the drug, optionally filtered by a classification system.
Usage¶
Use this node when you already have an RxCUI for a drug and need to obtain its classification across selected systems (e.g., therapeutic classes). Typically, pair it with a node that resolves a drug name or NDC to an RxCUI, then feed that RxCUI here to fetch class memberships.
Inputs¶
| Field | Required | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rxcui | True | STRING | The RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier representing the drug concept to classify. | 83367 |
| classification_system | True | ENUM | Classification system filter. Options are provided by the platform (via RxNormAPI.drug_class_source_relations). Use 'ALL' to return classes from all supported systems. | ALL |
Outputs¶
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| drug_classes | STRING | A JSON string with the structure: { "rxcui": , "classification_system": , "classes": | { "rxcui": "83367", "classification_system": "ALL", "classes": { /* RxClass API payload */ } } |
| status | STRING | Human-readable status message indicating success or describing any error encountered. | Successfully retrieved drug classes for RXCUI 83367 |
Important Notes¶
- Input RxCUI is required; the node returns an error if it is empty.
- Classification system choices are constrained to the provided dropdown options; select 'ALL' to include all available systems.
- The 'drug_classes' output embeds the raw API response under the 'classes' key for full fidelity; downstream nodes may need to parse it.
- This node does not convert drug names or NDCs to RxCUIs. Use a separate node to resolve identifiers before calling this node.
Troubleshooting¶
- If status returns 'Error: RXCUI cannot be empty', ensure you provide a non-empty RxCUI string.
- If status indicates 'API Error: ...', verify network connectivity and that the RxCUI is valid; retry later if the external API is unavailable.
- If 'classes' is empty but the RxCUI is valid, try setting classification_system to 'ALL' to broaden results.
- If you see unexpected results, confirm the RxCUI corresponds to the intended concept (consider resolving it again from the source drug name).