FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory

How this source shows up on Fonteum.

Will surface NDC-level drug-product reference (labeler name-normalized for a deferred Open Payments cross-link) once the first snapshot lands. Until then the dataset page renders an honest empty state — figures populate after the operator runs the NDC ingest.

Research and data questions this source supports.

• 01Resolve a product NDC to its labeler, generic and brand name, dosage form, and marketing category (once the first snapshot lands).
• 02Build a drug-product directory keyed on NDC for claims and formulary reconciliation.
• 03Cross-reference NDC labelers against Drugs@FDA sponsors and Part D spending manufacturers.
• 04Power a reference surface that maps NDC codes to human-readable drug identity.

Dataset size: 0 rows — first ingest snapshot pending (as of 2026-06-14)

Per-field display contract.

Fields listed below show their configured `display_allowed` flag from the §94 provenance schema. Fields marked write-locked are captured for audit and are not rendered on profile pages.

What we can’t infer from this source.

• First ingest snapshot pending — the table currently holds 0 rows. Figures populate once the operator runs the NDC ingest.
• Tier-1 — aggregate research context only; never rendered on individual provider profiles.
• Product-keyed by NDC; labeler is name-keyed, with the entity-graph cross-link deferred.
• openFDA omits empty fields; the NDC directory reflects active and recently-marketed products.

Authority, license, publisher cadence.

What the source allows.

openFDA data is CC0 public domain. No API key is required for bulk downloads; attribution to openFDA is the courtesy ask. Snapshot and attestation fields must be read from the specific artifact; no provenance fact currently links deterministically to a signature.

Official API, bulk download, and Fonteum endpoints.

Common questions about FDA NDC Directory.

What is the FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory?

The NDC Directory is the openFDA registry of drug products by National Drug Code — product NDC, labeler name, generic and brand name, dosage form, and marketing category. It is the canonical reference for resolving an NDC to drug identity.

Why does this dataset currently show 0 rows?

The schema and provenance contract are live, but the first NDC ingest snapshot is pending — so the table currently holds 0 rows and the dataset page renders an honest empty state. Figures populate once the operator runs the NDC ingest.

Where does the data come from and is it free?

It comes from the openFDA NDC API (api.fda.gov/drug/ndc.json) and bulk downloads at open.fda.gov. openFDA data is CC0 public domain — free to use and redistribute with attribution, no API key required.

Is an NDC linked to a provider?

No. The NDC Directory is product-keyed by NDC; the labeler is recorded by name. There is no NPI in the source, and the entity-graph cross-link is deferred — ambiguous labeler matches are held, not written.

What is a labeler?

The labeler is the firm whose name appears on the drug label — typically the manufacturer, repackager, or distributor that registered the product. It is an administrative identity, not a quality or endorsement signal.

Where this source already shows up.

Related sources in the graph

• /sources/fda-drugs-at-fda →
• /sources/fda-enforcement-reports →
• /sources/cms-part-d-spending-by-drug →

• /sources → The generated source-catalog subset — documented datasets Fonteum cites.
• /data-provenance → The provider graph — pipeline diagram, source-family clusters, field-level provenance examples, display rules.
• /methodology → Documented sourcing, publisher cadence, observed freshness, and corrections policy.
• /editorial-policy → Independence, sourcing, conflicts, corrections, retractions.