RxClass Search¶
Searches the RxClass database by a drug class name and returns formatted JSON results. The node validates input, calls the RxNorm RxClass service via an internal API helper, and provides a human-readable status message.
Usage¶
Use this node when you need to look up RxClass information starting from a class name (e.g., to find matching pharmacologic or therapeutic classes). Typical workflow: provide a class name, retrieve structured search results as JSON, and feed that JSON into downstream nodes for selection, filtering, or further analysis.
Inputs¶
| Field | Required | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| class_name | True | STRING | The drug class name to search for in RxClass. | ACE Inhibitors |
Outputs¶
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| class_search_results | STRING | A JSON string containing the search term and the returned results from RxClass. On success, the payload is formatted as: {"search_term": " | { "search_term": "ACE Inhibitors", "results": { "rxclassMinConceptList": [ {"classId": "100", "className": "ACE Inhibitors", "classType": "PHARMACOKINETIC"} ] } } |
| status | STRING | A human-readable status message describing the outcome, e.g., success, input validation error, API error, or runtime error. | Successfully searched RxClass for 'ACE Inhibitors' |
Important Notes¶
- Input validation: If class_name is empty or whitespace, the node returns "{}" with status "Error: Class name cannot be empty".
- API error propagation: If the underlying API returns an error (exposed as an 'error' field in the response), the node returns the API's error JSON and sets status to "API Error:
". - Output format: On success, results are wrapped with the original search term and pretty-printed for readability.
- Data type: Both outputs are strings; the first is a JSON-encoded string that downstream nodes may need to parse.
- Service dependency: Relies on an internal RxNorm API helper to query RxClass; network or service issues will surface as error status with an empty JSON payload.
Troubleshooting¶
- Empty results or '{}' output: Verify that 'class_name' is non-empty and correctly spelled. The node returns '{}' when input is blank or a runtime error occurs.
- Status shows 'API Error: ...': The RxClass service returned an error. Check the error message within the JSON output for details, adjust the class name, or retry later.
- Downstream parsing failures: Ensure the consumer expects a JSON string and parses it before accessing fields. The output is not a native object.
- Unexpected fields in results: RxClass responses can vary. Inspect the 'results' section to confirm the presence of expected keys before using them downstream.