XooCode(){

MedicalEntity

MedicalEntity is the parent type for everything schema.org models in the medical domain: conditions, procedures, drugs, supplements, anatomical structures, symptoms, therapies, contraindications, tests, and indications. Its direct subtypes include MedicalCondition, MedicalProcedure, AnatomicalStructure, Drug, DietarySupplement, MedicalSignOrSymptom, MedicalTherapy, MedicalRiskFactor, MedicalTest, MedicalIndication, and about 20 others. Bare MedicalEntity is rare; you almost always use a subtype.

MedicalEntity adds 6 properties that matter on every medical entity: code (a MedicalCode with codingSystem like ICD-10, SNOMED, or MeSH plus a codeValue), guideline (clinical guidelines from authoritative bodies), study (relevant MedicalStudies), relevantSpecialty (a MedicalSpecialty enumeration value), legalStatus (regulatory status), and recognizingAuthority (the regulator or body that defines the entity).

Full example of schema.org/MedicalEntity json-ld markup

The markup is verified as valid with Rich Results Test from Google.

Highlight legend:Required by GoogleRecommendedOptional
schema.org/MedicalEntity
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalEntity",
  "@id": "https://roydanmedjournal.dk/definitions/pediatric-malnutrition#entity",
  "name": "Pediatric protein-energy malnutrition",
  "alternateName": "Severe Acute Malnutrition in children",
  "description": "A spectrum of undernutrition states affecting children, characterised by inadequate intake of protein and energy relative to the body's growth needs. Historically prevalent in post-war Europe and today a leading cause of pediatric mortality in resource-poor settings.",
  "code": [
    { "@type": "MedicalCode", "codingSystem": "ICD-10", "codeValue": "E43" },
    { "@type": "MedicalCode", "codingSystem": "SNOMED CT", "codeValue": "238131007" }
  ],
  "relevantSpecialty": "https://schema.org/Pediatric",
  "guideline": { "@type": "MedicalGuideline", "name": "WHO guideline: updates on the management of severe acute malnutrition", "url": "https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506328" },
  "recognizingAuthority": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "World Health Organization" },
  "legalStatus": "https://schema.org/Recognized"
}
</script>

code and codingSystem

The code property is the single most important field on any MedicalEntity. Cross-referencing ICD-10, SNOMED CT, MeSH, RxNorm, or LOINC codes is what lets AI systems, EMRs, and Google's health knowledge panel match your entity to the globally indexed definition. Without a code, you're an unattached medical term on a web page.

E-E-A-T and health content

Google's Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) guidelines mean medical content needs strong trust signals. MedicalEntity supports that through recognizingAuthority (WHO, CDC, FDA, EMA), guideline (formal clinical guidance documents), and study (peer-reviewed research). A well-structured MedicalEntity block communicates to Google that the page is not just marketing copy.

Minimal valid version

The smallest markup that still produces a valid MedicalEntity entity. Use it as the floor. Reach for the advanced example above when you want search engines and AI agents to understand more about your content.

schema.org/MedicalEntity (minimal)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalEntity",
  "name": "Pediatric protein-energy malnutrition",
  "code": { "@type": "MedicalCode", "codingSystem": "ICD-10", "codeValue": "E43" }
}
</script>

Google rich results this unlocks

Markup matching this example makes your page eligible for the following Google Search rich results. The primary target drives the required / recommended property classification in the advanced code block above.

Common MedicalEntity mistakes

Mistakes that pass validation but silently fail to earn rich results or mislead consumers walking the graph. Avoid these and your markup will be ahead of most sites in the wild.

  1. 01

    Using bare MedicalEntity when a subtype fits

    Wrong
    "@type": "MedicalEntity" for a diagnosable condition
    Right
    "@type": "MedicalCondition"

    Bare MedicalEntity gives consumers almost no semantics. MedicalCondition, MedicalProcedure, Drug, DietarySupplement, MedicalSignOrSymptom — the subtypes carry rich domain-specific vocabulary that's the whole point of the schema.org medical hierarchy.

  2. 02

    Missing code / codingSystem

    Wrong
    MedicalEntity with no code array
    Right
    Include at least one MedicalCode with a recognised codingSystem (ICD-10, SNOMED CT, MeSH, RxNorm, LOINC, ICD-O)

    The whole knowledge-graph value of a medical entity is the cross-reference to global coding systems. Without codes, the entity floats free of every EMR, drug database, and research index.

Schema properties in this example

MedicalEntitynamealternateNamedescriptioncodeMedicalCodecodingSystemcodeValuerelevantSpecialtyMedicalSpecialtyguidelineMedicalGuidelineurlrecognizingAuthorityOrganizationlegalStatusstudyMedicalStudy

About the example data

A generic MedicalEntity example on a fictional clinical-definitions hub at Royal Danish Medical Journal, used by the 1945 Jane Xoo paper to reference the core pediatric condition it addresses.

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