---
title: "ClinVar API Reference"
description: "ClinVar API Reference — reference document from Claude Code knowledge pack."
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/clinvar
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:14:05.443Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "ClinVar API Reference — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/clinvar)"
---

# ClinVar API Reference
ClinVar API Reference — reference document from Claude Code knowledge pack.

## Overview

# ClinVar API Reference

## Base URLs
- **NCBI E-utilities**: `https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils`
- **ClinVar web API (VCV)**: `https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar`
- **NCBI Variation Services**: `https://api.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/variation/v0`

## Authentication
- E-utilities: No key required, but **strongly recommended**. Register at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/account/ to get an `api_key`.
- Without key: 3 requests/second. With key: 10 requests/second.
- Append `&api_key=YOUR_KEY` to all E-utility requests.

## Rate Limits
- Without API key: 3 req/sec
- With API key: 10 req/sec

## Key Endpoints

### 1. Search ClinVar (esearch)
```
GET https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/esearch.fcgi?db=clinvar&term={query}&retmode=json
```
Example — search for BRCA1 pathogenic variants:
```
GET https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/esearch.fcgi?db=clinvar&term=BRCA1[gene]+AND+pathogenic[clinical_significance]&retmode=json&retmax=10
```
Returns JSON with `idlist` of ClinVar Variation IDs.

### 2. Fetch ClinVar Records (esummary)
```
GET https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/esummary.fcgi?db=clinvar&id={id_list}&retmode=json
```
Example:
```
GET https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/esummary.fcgi?db=clinvar&id=37088,37087&retmode=json
```
Returns JSON with clinical significance, variant name, gene, conditions, review status.

### 3. Full Record (efetch)
```
GET https://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/efetch.fcgi?db=clinvar&id={id}&rettype=vcv&is_variationid&retmode=xml
```
Note: ClinVar efetch returns **XML only** (no JSON for efetch).

### 4. Variation Services API — SPDI/HGVS Lookup
```
GET https://api.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/variation/v0/spdi/{spdi_expression}/clinvar
GET https://api.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/variation/v0/hgvs/{hgvs_expression}/clinvar
```
Example:
```
GET https://api.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/variation/v0/hgvs/NM_007294.4%3Ac.5266dupC/clinvar
```

### 5. ClinVar VCV/RCV Direct Access
```
GET https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/variation/{variation_id}/?redir=vcv
```
This returns HTML. For programmatic access, use E-utilities or the Variation Services API.

## Useful Search Qualifiers
- `[gene]` — gene symbol (e.g., `BRCA1[gene]`)
- `[clinical_significance]` — pathogenic, likely_pathogenic, benign, uncertain_significance
- `[molecular_consequence]` — missense, nonsense, frameshift, etc.
- `[review_status]` — criteria_provided_single_submitter, reviewed_by_expert_panel, etc.
- `[condition]` — disease name

## Response Format
- esearch/esummary: JSON (with `retmode=json`)
- efetch: XML only for ClinVar
- Variation Services: JSON

## esummary Response Key Fields
```json
{
  "result": {
    "37088": {
      "uid": "37088",
      "title": "NM_007294.4(BRCA1):c.5266dupC (p.Gln1756Profs*74)",
      "clinical_significance": { "description": "Pathogenic" },
      "genes": [{"symbol": "BRCA1", "geneid": 672}],
      "variation_set": [...],
      "trait_set": [{"trait_name": "Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome"}]
    }
  }
}
```

## Notes
- Combine esearch + esummary for search-then-fetch workflows.
- For bulk downloads, use ClinVar FTP: https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/clinvar/

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/clinvar) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com