Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Does NDC Lookup require an internet connection?

No. The complete FDA NDC database is bundled with the app. All searching, browsing, and barcode scanning works entirely offline.

How large is the app?

Approximately 250 MB, most of which is the bundled NDC database.

What devices does it run on?

iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). Requires iOS/iPadOS 17.0+ or macOS 14.0+.

Is the barcode scanner available on Mac?

No. The barcode scanner uses the device camera and is only available on iPhone and iPad.

Database

Where does the NDC data come from?

The data comes from the FDA's National Drug Code Directory, a public database maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

How current is the database?

The database version and last updated date are shown in Settings. The database is updated with each app release.

How many products are in the database?

The database contains approximately 140,000 products and 280,000 packages. The exact counts are displayed on the Search tab.

Can I search by 11-digit NDC?

Yes. You can search by either 10-digit or 11-digit NDC, with or without hyphens.

Why do some drug names appear in different cases?

Brand names are displayed in Title Case and generic names in lowercase. This is a display convention — the underlying FDA data may have inconsistent casing.

Typing “ID:” followed by a number looks up a product by its internal database row ID. This is useful for support and debugging.

NDC Converter

Why can't I convert a plain 10-digit NDC without hyphens?

A 10-digit NDC without hyphens is ambiguous. The three possible segment configurations (4-4-2, 5-3-2, 5-4-1) cannot be distinguished without the hyphens. Always include hyphens when entering a 10-digit NDC.

What's the difference between 10-digit and 11-digit NDC?

The 10-digit NDC is the format printed on drug labels with variable segment lengths. The 11-digit NDC is a standardized format (always 5-4-2) used in billing and claims systems, created by zero-padding the short segment.

Support

How do I report a data issue?

On any product detail page, tap Report an Issue at the bottom. This opens an email with the product information pre-filled.

How do I contact support?

See Contact Support or email support@mccanalytics.com.