Low Risk

get_column_values

get_column_values

How to control get_column_values ↓

What get_column_values does on AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server

AI agents call get_column_values to retrieve information from AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

Low Risk

Why get_column_values needs a policy

This tool retrieves column values from the AACT clinical trials database. Despite the empty description, the naming convention and peer tools strongly suggest a read-only query operation with no side effects. The worst-case scenario is unauthorized access to publicly-available clinical trial metadata, which poses minimal risk compared to write/execute/destructive categories.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_column_values' and sibling tools like 'fetch_rows', 'read_query', 'list_tables', and 'describe_table' all indicate data retrieval operations.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_column_values gives an agent:

How to control get_column_values

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_column_values:

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "get_column_values": {}
  }
}

get_column_values is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

  1. Create a free account and register AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server — nothing to install.
  2. Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
  3. Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.
CAP THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

Related tools and policies

Go deeper

Questions about get_column_values

What does the get_column_values tool do? +

get_column_values. It is categorised as a Read tool in the AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_column_values? +

Register the AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_column_values: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is get_column_values? +

get_column_values is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit get_column_values? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_column_values rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block get_column_values completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_column_values. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides get_column_values? +

get_column_values is provided by the AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server MCP server (navisbio/aact_clinicaltrials_mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server tool call.

Start from AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

Free to start. No card required.

7 AACT Clinical Trials MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.

// GET IN TOUCH

Have a question or want to learn more? Send us a message.

Message sent.

We'll get back to you soon.