NLM produces a baseline set of MEDLINE/PubMed citation records in XML format for download on an annual basis. The annual baseline is released in December of each year. Each day, NLM produces update files that include new, revised and deleted citations. See our documentation page for more information.

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September 21, 2017: Large export files dated September 22, 2017

A large set of citations will be included in the export files posted with a server date of 9/22/2017. These citations have updates or corrections to grants data (we anticipate that more than 170,000 records will be updated).

August 23, 2017: Documentation Updated: Element Descriptions

We have updated the documentation defining and providing background information about the XML elements used in the current (2017) production year of PubMed. The documentation can be found at MEDLINE/PubMed XML Data Elements. Any comments, questions or comments can be directed to nlmdatadistrib@nlm.nih.gov.

August 23, 2017: Large export files dated August 23, 2017

DATE CORRECTED:
There will be larger than normal export files with posted server dates of August 23, 2017. The large exports are due to citation maintenance on records that currently are in a status of <In-Data-Review>. The bulk maintenance and export will change these citations from <In-Data-Review> to <PubMed-Not-MEDLINE>. We are expecting approximately 84,000 citations to be affected. These updated citations will be comingled in the export files with the standard daily citation updates and should be processed accordingly.

August 16, 2017: Large export files dated August 16, 2017 and August 17, 2017

There will be larger than normal export files with posted server dates of August 16, 2017 and August 17, 2017. The large exports are due to citation maintenance on records that currently are in a status of <In-Data-Review>. The bulk maintenance and export will change these citations from <In-Data-Review> to <PubMed-Not-MEDLINE>. These updated citations will be comingled in the export files with the standard daily citation updates and should be processed accordingly.

July 14, 2017: ISSN Element missing from some records in export files after June 22, 2017

Beginning with export file medline17n1172.xml with a server date of June 22, 2017 and continuing until present we have identified citation data which has erroneously excluded the <ISSN> element. We will fix this error during the week of July 17, 2017 and will post another message upon completion. Any questions can be directed to the Data Distribution team at nlmdatadistrib@nlm.nih.gov or by clicking on the NLM Customer Support link (at the top of this page).

June 23, 2017: PubMed Data Begins Sunday Exports on June 25, 2017

Beginning Sunday June 25, 2017 NLM will begin exporting and posting PubMed Daily Update Files 7 days a week. PubMed Daily Update files include all new, revised and deleted citations added to the PubMed dataset on a daily basis. The Daily Update files can be found at ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/updatefiles/

April 12, 2017: Statistical Reports on MEDLINE/PubMed 2016 and 2017 Baseline Data Posted

Annual statistical reports based upon the data elements in the 2016 and 2017 baseline versions of MEDLINE/PubMed are available. Please email us with any questions or concerns regarding the reported data.

February 24, 2017: Large Export Files

A large set of citations will be included in the export files posted with a server date of 2/24/2017. Approximately 70,000 citations will receive Conflict of Interest (COI) statements added to their bibliographic data. See the Technical Bulletin article MEDLINE Data Changes — 2017 for more information.

February 14, 2017: Large Export Files

A large set of citations were included in the export files with a server date of 2/14/2017. The citations received an update or correction to the DOI information. Approximately 180,000 citations were updated.

February 10, 2017: Large Export Files

A large set of citations were included in the export files with a server date of 2/9/2017. These citations had a change in the status of the record the majority of which were moved from In-Data-Review to a status of In-Process (approximately 120,000).

February 8, 2017: Large Export Files

Due to a an internal change in processing codes Daily Update files with a server date of 2/8/2017 will include a large number (approximately 120,000) of update citations. A large group of citations are being moved to either a status of In-Process or PubMed-Not-MEDLINE.

February 2, 2017: Large Export Files Containing Delete Citations

Due to routine citation maintenance Daily Update files with a server date of 2/2/2017 will include a large number (approximately 38,000) deleted citations. Many of these deleted citations come from out of scope articles to include meeting abstracts. See <DeleteCitation>.

January 27, 2017: Export Files Containing Delete Citations

Due to an inadvertent programming error the Daily Update files medline17n0893.xml (dated 12/19/2016) through medline17n0990.xml (dated 1/26/2017) did not include deleted citations. Daily Update file medline17n0991.xml will include catch-up deleted citations (approximately 18,000 citations). Future Daily Update files will provide these citations, as needed. See <DeleteCitation>.

December 21, 2016: Release of 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed Update Files

The 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed Update files are available for download and use. The first Update file to be loaded after loading the complete set of 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed Baseline files is medline17n0893.xml. The first set of Update files contain citations which were held during Year End Processing (YEP). Please note: the first set of Update files (dated 12/19/2016) reference the DTD location http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/ncbi/pubmed/out/pubmed_170101.dtd. Subsequent files will correctly reference the DTD location https://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/ncbi/pubmed/out/pubmed_170101.dtd.

December 15, 2016: Release of 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed Baseline Files

The 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed Baseline files are available for download and use. The complete baseline consists of files medline17n0001 through medline17n0892 . Production and distribution of Daily Update Files, which will include citations held during Year End Processing (YEP) is expect to resume December 20, 2016.

December 6, 2016: 2017 Small Sample Data Available and Large Set of Export Files

2017 Small Sample Set of MEDLINE/PubMed data is now available for use. The file can be found at: ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/.baseline-2017-sample/. Note: this data can be used to validate the 2017 PubMed DTD (>pubmed_170101.dtd). Elements added for the 2017 DTD will not contain data.

We expect to export and post a larger than normal set of records on December 6, 2016. The large export updates approximately 80,000 records to add clinicaltrails.gov IDs. The addition of this data will be made to the <DataBankList> element and will receive an update <DateRevised> on the date of export.

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December 1, 2016: 2017 MeSH Term applied to Update Files

Due to a programming error 2017 MeSH terms were inadvertently applied to PubMed XML Update files medline16n1430.xml through medline16n1583.xml. We are currently working to revert those citations affected by this update and will issue corrected records with today's update files (starting with medline16n1584.xml). As soon as this work is complete we will validate the 2017 Small Sample set and make available for download as soon as possible. Please email us @ nlmdatadistrib@nlm.nih.gov with questions or concerns.

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November 30, 2016: 2017 Small Sample Set

Due to technical issues we have not posted the small sample set of MEDLINE/PubMed citations. We are working on producing and conducting quality control of the file and will provide daily updates on the status until it is posted and available for use against the 2017 PubMed DTD.

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November 14, 2016: Missing Update Files

Due to technical issues we have not posted a MEDLINE/PubMed export files since November 8, 2016. We will post catch-up files today for the records later today.

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November 10, 2016: Release of 2017 DTD

We will be making a number of changes to the DTD for the 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed baseline XML data. Beginning with the release of the 2017 MEDLINE PubMed Baseline, all MEDLINE/PubMed data available via FTP or through the E-utilities API will use the same DTD:

pubmed_170101.dtd

This DTD is backward compatible with the pubmed_160101.dtd that is currently used for the E-utilities API. It also includes all of the data elements from the nlmmedlinecitationset_160101.dtd, with the exception of the <MedlineCitationSet> element, which will be deprecated. Most changes to the DTD involve the addition of new elements and attributes. See the DTD for a list of new data elements. Documentation for new data elements is forthcoming.

We intend to release a small sample set of records using the 2017 DTD mid-late November 2016.

We expect the 2017 MEDLINE/PubMed baseline data to become available in mid-December.

Please see NLM Technical Bulletin article Changes to the NLM Data Distribution Program for further details regarding changes to this program.

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November 3, 2016: 2017 DTD

We anticipate announcing significant changes to the MEDLINE DTD for 2017. This change will reflect not just changes to the structure of the data but also for the contents of the data included in export files. We anticipate having the 2017 DTD and a small sample set of data available the week of November 7, 2016. Documentation and specifically the definition and description of XML elements will be posted shortly thereafter. As always if you have specific questions or concerns regarding these changes you may contact us directly at nlmdatadistrib@nlm.nih.gov.

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October 1, 2016: CHANGE TO MEDLINE/FTP Location

Effective October 6, 2016, Daily MEDLINE/PubMed Daily Update files are located at ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/updatefiles/. The first Update file is medline16n1183.

• Users who are current with Update files prior to transition to the new FTP server (last Update file on previous FTP server is medline16n1182) will begin downloads with medline16n1183.
• Users who have not downloaded the last Update file from previous MEDLINE/PubMed FTP server will need to validate the last Update file downloaded and then begin with the next Update file in sequential order. The complete set of 2016 Update files are available on ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/updatefiles/

The 2016 MEDLINE/PubMed Baseline files new location is: ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/baseline/

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October 1, 2016: INCLUSION OF PUBLISHER SUPPLIED RECORDS

On October 6, 2016 NLM is exporting Publisher supplied citations in the Daily Update files with the MedlineCitation Status attribute: Publisher. This will include all records defined as Publisher (see: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/licensee/elements_descriptions.html#medlinecitation)

EXCEPT: Citations to books and book chapters in the NCBI Bookshelf.

Records in the status of Publisher prior October 4, 2016 will need to be imported using the E-Utilities API.

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October 1, 2016: LARGE SET of UPDATE FILES

The week of October 10, 2016 NLM is exporting a large number of revised records (approximately 540,000 records) to reflect an internal update to the full journal name (data are in the <Title> element). These records are being exported as standard Daily Update files and comingled with standard daily updates (new, other changed, and delete records).

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October 1, 2016: Termination of License for NLM Data

The NLM Data License has been replaced by Terms and Conditions. No registration is required to access data available from NLM's FTP servers. Users will not be required to renew a license agreement at the end of the year.