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December 2, 2022: Release of 2023 MeSH XML and ASCII Datasets

Production year 2023 MeSH in XML and ASCII have been released and are available for download from NLM. These include the 2023 Descriptors, Qualifiers and SCRs. NLM has already released the 2023 MeSH DTDs, all of which have a file name ending in “recordset_20230101.dtd”.

There are two DTD changes from 2022 to 2023 for both the Descriptor and SCR DTDs (there are no changes for Qualifiers):

Added SCRClass 5 - Population group
Added SCRClass 6 - Anatomy

As always, we recommend you reference and use the production year DTD with the same production year dataset. The DTDs can be found at the bottom of the left column of the Download MeSH Data page on NLM’s Data Distribution.

An announcement will be made when the 2023 MeSH MARC and RDF files are released. Subscribe to NLM MeSH Data News (in the "Sign up" box above) to receive an email when the files are posted.

Information regarding changes and updates to MeSH can be found at What's New in MeSH.

December 1, 2021: Availability of MeSH MARC files for 2022 MeSH

The October, November and December 2021 monthly MeSH MARC files are now available. There is no file for September 2021. These monthly files include the Descriptors and Qualifiers for the 2022 Production Year. The October file contains a republishing of the entire file to include the MeSH RDF URI in the 024 field of every record. It is recommended that the October full file is loaded followed by the November and December updates.

Information regarding changes and updates to MeSH can be found at What's New in MeSH.

December 1, 2021: Release of 2022 MeSH XML and ASCII Datasets

Production year 2022 MeSH in XML and ASCII have been released and are available for download from NLM. 2022 MeSH RDF will be available December 6, 2021.

Information regarding changes and updates to MeSH can be found at What's New in MeSH.

December 7, 2020: Release of 2021 MeSH Datasets

Production year 2021 MeSH in XML and ASCII have been released and are available for download from NLM. MeSH RDF and MARC21 will be released in January 2020 - a notice at time of posting will posted here as well.

Information regarding changes and updates to MeSH can be found at What's New in MeSH. Additional information regarding Year End Processing of PubMed citations using MeSH 2021 terminology can be found: MEDLINE/PubMed Year-End Processing Activities for 2021.

November 17, 2020: Planning for Release of 2021 MeSH Datasets

NLM is planning for a December 3, 2020 release of the 2021 Production Year MeSH XML datasets. These include the 2021 Descriptors, Qualifiers and SCRs.

NLM had already released the 2021 MeSH DTDs all of which have a file name of 01-01-2021. While there is not a change in the structure of the 2021 DTD from the 2020 DTD we recommends you reference and use the production year DTD with the same production year dataset. The DTDs can be at the bottom of the left column of this page.

An announcement will be made when the 2021 MeSH files are released. Subscribe to NLM Data News (above) to receive an email when the files are posted.

December 16, 2019: 2020 MeSH MARC 21 Files Available for Download

There has been a slight change to the naming convention for the MeSH-MARC files. The files are prefixed with the posting date in YearMonthDate form, followed by the filename which now includes the MeSH vocabulary year the file contains.

The December files are named:

2019_marc_full2020.bin

2019_marc_change 2020.bin

The January files will be named as follows:

20200101_marc_full2020.bin

20200101_marc_change2020.bin

NLM hopes this change will make it clearer to users of MeSH-MARC the data they are receiving.

December 10, 2019: Production Year 2020 MeSH Available for Download in: XML, RDF and ASCII Formats. MeSH and MeSH RDF Survey Still Open

Production year 2020 MeSH in XML, RDF and ASCII have been release and are available for download from NLM. MeSH MARC21 will be release in January 2020.
Information regarding changes and updates to MeSH can be found at What's New in MeSH.

MeSH and MeSH RDF is still interested in your feedback regarding our products.
Please answer a few questions about how you use MeSH data. The survey is easy to complete in about four minutes. Your responses will be very useful in helping the NLM MeSH and MeSH RDF teams continue to improve how MeSH works for you.

Please click here to access the survey.

OMB Control Number: 0925-0648OMB
Expiration Date: 05/31/2021
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0648). Do not return the completed form to this address.

November 5, 2019: Survey Extended: The National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and MeSH RDF Survey Request

Dear Colleagues,

The National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and MeSH RDF teams need your help.

Please answer a few questions about how you use MeSH data. The survey is easy to complete in about four minutes. Your responses will be very useful in helping the NLM MeSH and MeSH RDF teams continue to improve how MeSH works for you.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Please click here to access the survey.

OMB Control Number: 0925-0648OMB
Expiration Date: 05/31/2021
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0648). Do not return the completed form to this address.

September 25, 2019: The National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and MeSH RDF Survey Request

Dear Colleagues,

The National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and MeSH RDF teams need your help.

Please answer a few questions about how you use MeSH data. The survey is easy to complete in about four minutes. Your responses will be very useful in helping the NLM MeSH and MeSH RDF teams continue to improve how MeSH works for you.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Please click here to access the survey.

OMB Control Number: 0925-0648OMB
Expiration Date: 05/31/2021
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0648). Do not return the completed form to this address.

October 31, 2018: Downloading MeSH data files now available through NLM Data Distribution program and retirement of existing Memorandum of Understanding

Beginning November 1, 2018, the distribution of MeSH data files along with the accompanying documentation will be handled through the NLM Data Distribution program. This will allow users of the MeSH dataset, which is often used in coordination with other datasets distributed through this program (HSRProj, PubMed, etc.), to have a central and consistent location to find downloadable NLM data, review documentation and receive alerts and notifications regarding the data. In addition, NLM has retired the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and has implemented a simplified Terms and Conditions statement covering the use/reuse and appropriate acknowledgement of the MESH data.