references/sources.md

# Public healthcare source inventory

All nine apps use public, read-only, no-auth data sources. Keep the source name,
record identifier, source URL, and data date or update timestamp returned by an
app in any synthesized answer. Do not replace an app's disclosure, attribution,
or source-specific limitation with a generic citation.

| App | Purpose | Source | Policies |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Search ClinicalTrials.gov studies, eligibility, sites, endpoints, and results. | [ClinicalTrials.gov](https://clinicaltrials.gov/) | [Privacy](https://clinicaltrials.gov/about-site/privacy-policy) · [Terms](https://clinicaltrials.gov/about-site/terms-conditions) |
| PubMed | Search and retrieve biomedical publications, citations, abstracts, identifiers, rights, and eligible PubMed Central full text. | [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) | [NCBI policies](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/home/about/policies/) |
| DailyMed | Search and retrieve official DailyMed drug labels, packaging, media, and history. | [DailyMed](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/) | [NLM web policies](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html) |
| RxNorm | Verify medication-name identity and generic-brand relationships; map generic, brand, foreign, legacy, or misspelled names and NDCs to official RxNorm concepts; and enumerate normalized ingredients, strengths, dose forms, products, and packs. | [RxNorm](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm/) | [NLM web policies](https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html) · [RxNav terms](https://lhncbc.nlm.nih.gov/RxNav/TermsofService.html) |
| openFDA | Search public FDA regulatory records for recalls, shortages, applications, NDC and UNII substances, devices, food, labels, and aggregate adverse-event counts. | [openFDA](https://open.fda.gov/) | [FDA website policies](https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/about-website/website-policies) · [openFDA terms](https://open.fda.gov/terms/) |
| NPI Registry | Validate NPIs and search public U.S. provider identity and enumeration records. | [NPI Registry](https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/) | [CMS privacy](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links/privacy-policy) · [CMS web policies](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links) |
| Medicare Care Compare | Find or compare hospitals, nursing homes, or home-health agencies, inspect current CMS ratings, and retrieve official hospital quality-measure definitions. | [Medicare Care Compare](https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/) | [CMS privacy](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links/privacy-policy) · [CMS web policies](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links) |
| CMS Coverage | Search public national Medicare coverage policies and local coverage summaries with official CMS links. | [Medicare Coverage Database](https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/) | [CMS privacy](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links/privacy-policy) · [CMS web policies](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links) |
| CMS Open Data | Explore official Medicare Part B, Part D prescribing, and inpatient hospital datasets. | [CMS Open Data](https://data.cms.gov/) | [CMS privacy](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links/privacy-policy) · [CMS web policies](https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/web-policies-important-links) |

## Interpretation boundaries

- Public source data is not a substitute for professional medical advice or
  emergency care.
- PubMed indexing and article access do not establish study quality; distinguish
  publication metadata, abstracts, and eligible full text.
- ClinicalTrials.gov registration does not establish recruitment status,
  eligibility, safety, efficacy, or result quality beyond the dated record.
- DailyMed labels, RxNorm identifiers, and openFDA datasets answer different
  questions. Do not merge them as though they were one medication record.
- Voluntary adverse-event and device reports do not establish causality,
  incidence, prevalence, comparative risk, or product defect.
- An NPI is an enumeration identifier, not proof of licensure, credentialing,
  network participation, availability, or quality.
- Care Compare measures are comparable only when their measure definitions,
  populations, and reporting periods align.
- Coverage summaries are not individual benefit determinations. Preserve links
  to source policies, especially for local coverage material.
- CMS Open Data does not cover Open Payments, Medicaid, hospice, or dialysis;
  route those questions to the appropriate separate official source.
- Payment and utilization data does not by itself establish quality, fraud,
  necessity, or an individual clinician's current practice.