API referenceDrugs
Look up a drug's NADAC price
GET /v1/drugs/nadac/{ndc}
GET https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/drugs/nadac/{ndc}CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost for one package NDC: the current price per unit (nadac_per_unit per pricing_unit) with its effective date, brand/generic classification and explanation codes, plus history, every rate in the current and previous calendar years' weekly files (newest first). NDCs CMS no longer prices stay available with status: retired. Accepts a hyphenated package NDC in any 10-digit layout or an 11-digit NDC. NADAC is a survey of retail pharmacy acquisition costs, not a price a patient pays.
Requires an API key: Authorization: Bearer hdev_live_.... See Authentication.
Path parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ndc | string | yes | Package NDC (hyphenated, any 10-digit layout) or 11-digit NDC | 00003-0894-21 |
Query parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
view | "compact" | "full" | no | compact returns only the fields an agent usually needs (fewer tokens); full (default) returns every field | compact |
fields | string | no | Comma-separated record fields to return, e.g. code,display,billable | code,display,billable |
Examples
curl
curl "https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/drugs/nadac/00003-0894-21" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HDEV_API_KEY"TypeScript
const res = await fetch("https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/drugs/nadac/00003-0894-21", {
headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.HDEV_API_KEY}` },
});
const { data, meta } = await res.json();Python
import os
import requests
res = requests.get("https://api.healthcare.dev/v1/drugs/nadac/00003-0894-21", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['HDEV_API_KEY']}"})
body = res.json()Try it
Response
The NADAC price and history
{
"data": {
"ndc": "string",
"ndc_description": "string",
"nadac_per_unit": 0,
"pricing_unit": "EA",
"effective_date": "2026-10-01",
"as_of_date": "2026-10-01",
"classification_for_rate_setting": "G",
"otc": true,
"pharmacy_type_indicator": "string",
"explanation_codes": [
"string"
],
"corresponding_generic": {
"nadac_per_unit": 0,
"effective_date": "2026-10-01"
},
"history": [
{
"effective_date": "2026-10-01",
"nadac_per_unit": 0,
"pricing_unit": "EA",
"classification_for_rate_setting": "G"
}
],
"status": "active",
"effective_start": "2026-10-01",
"effective_end": "2026-10-01",
"replaced_by": [
"string"
]
},
"meta": {
"source": "cms-icd10",
"data_version": "2026.1",
"retrieved_at": "2026-10-24T12:00:00Z",
"license": "Public domain (CMS). Reference data, not medical advice."
},
"links": {
"self": "/v1/drugs/nadac/00003-0894-21",
"next": null
}
}Fields
| Field | Type | Always present | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
ndc | string | yes | NDC-11 (5-4-2, no hyphens) as CMS lists it |
ndc_description | string | yes | Drug name, strength and dosage form, as CMS lists it |
nadac_per_unit | number | yes | National average acquisition cost, USD per unit |
pricing_unit | "EA" | "ML" | "GM" | yes | Unit the price is per: EA each (tablet, capsule, patch...), ML milliliter, GM gram |
effective_date | string (date) | yes | Date the current rate took effect |
as_of_date | string (date) | yes | As of Date of the latest weekly NADAC file that lists this NDC (for a retired NDC, the last file that did) |
classification_for_rate_setting | "G" | "B" | "B-ANDA" | "B-BIO" | yes | Classification for Rate Setting: whether CMS treated the NDC as generic (G) or brand (B) when calculating the rate. B-ANDA is a brand approved under an ANDA; B-BIO a biosimilar (treated as brand). |
otc | boolean | yes | Over-the-counter product |
pharmacy_type_indicator | string | yes | Survey the rate comes from; C/I = chain and independent pharmacies (the only type CMS uses today) |
explanation_codes | string[] | yes | How CMS calculated the rate: 1 from the most recent survey; 2 survey within ±2%, carried forward; 3 adjusted for published pricing changes or a help desk inquiry; 4 carried forward; 5 calculated based on package size; 6 CMS S/I/N drug category not applied |
corresponding_generic | object | null | yes | For a multiple-source brand: the NADAC of its corresponding generic drug |
history | NadacRate[] | yes | Every rate in the current and previous calendar years' NADAC files, newest effective date first. The rate in effect on a date is the first entry whose effective_date is on or before it. |
status | "active" | "retired" | "replaced" | yes | |
effective_start | string (date) | yes | |
effective_end | string | null (date) | yes | |
replaced_by | string[] | no |
Errors
Errors are application/problem+json (RFC 9457). Branch on type, not on title. See Errors.
| Status | type | When |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | invalid-request | A parameter or the body failed validation; errors lists each field. |
| 401 | unauthorized | Missing, malformed or revoked API key. |
| 404 | not-found | No record with that id (retired records are still returned). |
| 429 | rate-limited / quota-exceeded | Too many requests per second (retry after Retry-After), or the monthly quota is used up. |
| 503 | dataset-unavailable / unavailable | The dataset has no published version yet, or the service is degraded. |