Important note
Consulting DeCS online does not require downloading its database nor does it require a usage license agreement. Searches on DeCS/MeSH portal retrieve descriptors for indexing articles and other documents found in Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases. To retrieve documents and articles, the search must be done on the VHL portal, using the DeCS descriptors found on the DeCS/MeSH portal. For instructions on how to search the VHL visit: https://bvsalud.org/en/how-to-search/.
Licensing
For people or institutions that wish to obtain the whole database, DeCS is offered free of charge under a license agreement with BIREME/PAHO/WHO in two ways:
- downloadable file in XML format;
- via API services.
Interested parties are requested to read the conditions for such services and fill out the DeCS download license application form. It is important to check the email spam folder for responses to requests.
The request will be analyzed and responded to within a short period of time.
Instructions for accessing API services for developers can be found here.
