NLM Pillbox Was Retired: What to Use Instead
Pillbox, the National Library of Medicine's free pill identification site, was retired on January 29, 2021. If an old bookmark or article sent you looking for it, here's what happened and what you can use now.
Written by the AI Pill ID Team. Facts about NLM Pillbox checked from its own pages, linked in Sources.
AI Pill ID comes out ahead on 4 of 7 points below.
- Status
- AI Pill IDBetter hereActive iPhone and Android apps.
- NLM PillboxRetired on January 29, 2021, including its websites, dataset, image library and APIs.
- How you search
- AI Pill IDBetter hereTake or upload a photo. The app reads the pill's color, shape, size and any visible imprint.
- NLM PillboxNo longer available.
- How sure the answer is
- AI Pill IDBetter hereLikely matches ranked with a confidence score. It tells you when it isn't sure instead of guessing.
- NLM PillboxNo longer available.
- Pill images
- AI Pill IDBetter hereUses your own photo.
- NLM PillboxThe related RxImage API stopped on December 31, 2021. DailyMed still shows pill images that manufacturers submit with their labels.
- Its data today
- AI Pill IDNot applicable.
- NLM PillboxThe final data stays online as static files for research and education. NLM says it won't be updated and shouldn't be used for pill identification.
- Official replacement
- AI Pill IDNot applicable.
- NLM PillboxNLM points to MedlinePlus and DailyMed for drug information, but says neither provides pill identification.
- Cost
- AI Pill IDFree to download, and your first pill identification is free. Then a subscription starting at $3.99 a week on iPhone.
- NLM PillboxIt was free.
What happened to Pillbox
Pillbox was a free pill identification site run by the National Library of Medicine. NLM announced in 2020 that it would retire the program on January 29, 2021, and that covered everything: the search websites, the dataset, the image library and the APIs that other apps used.
The final data is still online as static files for research, development and education. NLM is clear that those files won't be updated and shouldn't be used to identify pills. New drugs, new manufacturers and changed pill designs since 2021 aren't in them.
Why MedlinePlus and DailyMed aren't a replacement for this
NLM recommends MedlinePlus for plain-language drug information and DailyMed for official drug labels. Both are good sources once you know what a pill is. NLM itself notes that neither provides pill identification, so they can't tell you what an unknown pill is.
DailyMed can still help you double-check a lead. Some manufacturers include pill images with their labels, and those images stayed on DailyMed after the separate RxImage API shut down at the end of 2021.
What to use instead
- If you can read the imprint: a free imprint search is the most precise start. See how Drugs.com and WebMD compare.
- If the imprint is worn, tiny or missing: a photo is an easier first step. AI Pill ID reads color, shape, size and any visible imprint and returns likely matches with a confidence score.
- If you only have the bottle: the NDC number on the label can lead you to the product. Our NDC number decoder shows how to read it.
- Always: confirm with a pharmacist before anyone takes the pill. Our guide on what to do with an unknown pill covers the steps.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Pillbox?
The National Library of Medicine retired Pillbox on January 29, 2021. That included the pill identification and search websites, the dataset, the image library and the APIs.
Can I still download the Pillbox data?
NLM kept the final data as static files to support research, development and education. It says the files won't be updated and shouldn't be used for pill identification.
What replaced Pillbox?
NLM points people to MedlinePlus for consumer drug information and DailyMed for official drug labels, but it notes that neither one provides pill identification.
What can I use to identify a pill now?
Free imprint searches such as Drugs.com and WebMD work well when you can read the code on the pill. A photo app such as AI Pill ID helps when you can't. A pharmacist is the only source of certainty, so confirm any result before anyone takes the pill.
Does DailyMed show pictures of pills?
Sometimes. DailyMed removed the images that came from the RxImage API in October 2021, but pill images that manufacturers submit with their product labels are still shown.
Sources
AI Pill ID is not affiliated with NLM Pillbox. Product names belong to their owners. Features and prices change, so check each product's own page before you decide. Spot something out of date? Email support@aipillid.com.