Carita Alexander, Pharmacy/Health Sciences Librarian

General Health Websites

Aetna Intelihealth
http://www.intelihealth.com/
Aetna InteliHealth, a subsidiary of Aetna, partners with Harvard Medical School and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine to provide health information on this website. It’s important to note that Aetna InteliHealth’s editorial policy states that it maintains absolute editorial independence from Aetna. That said, the site is content rich on disease and treatment information and includes nice additional features such as its Interactive Health Tools, Ask the Expert, Personalized Health E-mail service, and Discussion Boards.

The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/default.aspx
Produced by the Cleveland Clinic Department of Patient Education and Health Information, this site offers information on over 900 health topics. Podcasts and webcasts of health information are available along with transcripts of web chats with physicians answering health questions. The Cleveland Clinic Patient Education and Health Information provides a live chat service Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm EST (except holidays) where health educators are available to provide general health information and recommendations of web sites.

Familydoctor.org
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home.html
This web site is offers clear and concise patient hand-outs for common medical concerns and conditions. All information has been written and reviewed by physicians and patient education professionals at the American Academy of Family Physicians. “Conditions A-Z”, make finding a hand-out easy. Handy buttons translates the site into Spanish and increases the type size. Other helpful features are a medical dictionary, health calculators, the Healthy Living Guides, a Smart Patient Guide, Health Tools section and a Health Tip of the Day.

Hardin M.D.
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/
This subject directory of health web site links is maintained by the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa. A special focus on medical pictures makes this site unique.

healthfinder
http://www.healthfinder.gov/
Developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, healthfinder links to carefully selected information and Web sites from over 1,500 health-related organizations. There’s a wonderful children’s interface with age-appropriate health information and much of the web site’s information is available in Spanish.  Their Drug Interaction Checker, Online Checkups, and health newsletters in Spanish and English provide useful additional features.

HealthLink Plus
http://www.healthlinkplus.org
Provides links to credible health web sites recommended by the Information Services staff of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Information in Spanish is also available. Their Ask-Us-Now feature provides real-time access to reference librarians to answer questions.

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
MayoClinic.com offers a wealth of easy-to-understand health and medical information. In addition to diseases and conditions, the site has a number of healthy living guides and helpful resources such as Health Tools, Treatment Decision Guides, blogs and pod casts, and Ask a Specialist feature. Mayo Clinic experts review web site content for accuracy.

Med Help International
http://www.medhelp.org/
Med Help International is a non-profit organization whose focus is to provide medical information in non-technical language and to an online health community through over 200 medical forums. The People section is where you can get advice and support from other patients while the MyMedHelp has forums led by doctors where you can get answers and medical information online. Registration is required but free.

MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/
MedicineNet.com is owned and operated by WebMD and part of the WebMD Network. The web site provides easy-to-read, in-depth, authoritative medical information for consumers through its user-friendly, interactive web site. The content is produced and edited by a nationally recognized network of over 70 U.S. Board Certified Physicians. Web videos, daily health news, an email newsletter and a symptom checker are additional features.

MedlinePlus
http://www.medlineplus.gov
MedlinePlus offers over 18,000 links to accurate and current medical information on the Internet that has been evaluated by the National Library of Medicine. It includes drug information, an illustrated medical dictionary, the latest health news, directories of doctors, dentists and hospitals, surgery videos, and interactive health tutorials. Brief information is available in the Medical Encyclopedia with more in depth information on over 750 Health Topics. A handy toggle feature translates the site into Spanish with links to Spanish-language information on the Internet. The GoLocal initiative adds links to local resources in over 18 states with hospital information available in the other states. The first website any health consumer should visit on the Internet.

NetWellness
http://www.netwellness.org/default.cfm
NetWellness, a non-profit consumer health web site, has been in operation for over ten years. It provides over 55,000 pages of high quality information created and evaluated by medical and health professional faculty at the University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University and the Ohio State University. Its “Ask An Expert” feature is a question and answer service provided by numerous health care professionals of the three universities, who volunteer their time as a community service.

NOAH: New York Online Access to Health
http://www.noah-health.org
Bi-lingual in Spanish and English, NOAH provides links to high quality consumer health information that is accurate, timely, relevant and unbiased. Arranged both alphabetically and by body site, it includes a search feature to guide you to a specific topic.

Specific Health Websites

Alzheimer’s Association
http://www.alz.org
Information for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and health professionals make this the comprehensive resource on Alzheimer’s Disease. Fact sheets, information on diagnosis and management, planning ahead, a glossary and information in Spanish, Korean and Chinese are also useful. Message boards and chat rooms provide support and additional information sharing.

American Academy of Dermatology-Public Resource Center
http://www.aad.org/public
On this site, "Dermatology A-Z" gives extensive information and full text of AAD pamphlets on most common skin and nail conditions from acne and aging skin to tanning and tattoos. Also included are pamphlets and information in Spanish, a directory of dermatologists, and Kids Connection section with information for children on skin conditions.

American Dental Association-Public
http://www.ada.org/public/index.asp
This site includes extensive information on oral health, cosmetic dentistry, restorative procedures, even games and animations for children and classroom resources for teachers. A glossary of dental terms, a directory of dentists and a section in Spanish add useful information.

American Diabetes Association  
http://www.diabetes.org/
Extensive interactive tools add value and interest to this lively website. Diabetes assessment tools, recipes, weight-loss and exercise advice, latest diabetes research and a professional section add additional information. Information about ADA books, a message board, an email newsletter and information in Spanish are also included.

American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org
Extensive information on heart disease and stroke, children’s health, healthy lifestyle, care giving, a heart and stroke encyclopedia and information in Spanish make this the premier source for information on these conditions. There is also a link to the website of American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, which shares some of the same information on its website at www.strokeassociation.org. Local area events and local chapters are covered and some scientific and professional materials are also available.

American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org
This is an excellent site with information on lung diseases, tobacco control, and air quality. Attractive and easy to use, it has special sections on asthma, allergy, treatment, how the lung functions and "Diseases A-Z" on lung disorders. There is a search by zip code for local chapter information, sign-up for a free email newsletter, and some information on current research efforts. A sub-section is available in Spanish.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
http://www.aafa.org
Information, advocacy, research, information on local chapters and support groups and  "Ask the Allergist" email feature make this an extremely useful website. Also included are a pollen count by zip code feature, and information on clinical trials and new treatments. Some of their patient brochures can be downloaded as well as ordered via the mail (with a few of them in Spanish).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov
The CDC, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, deals with preventing and controlling disease, injury and disability and its website ably reflects this mission. One of the best government websites on the Internet, its coverage is broad. Its "Diseases and Conditions" section covers major chronic and many infectious diseases including AIDS, bird flu, common childhood diseases like measles and more exotic diseases like Ebola. Birth defects, traveler's health, emergency preparedness, vaccine and immunization information, accidents and injury information, infectious diseases and workplace safety and health are all covered. Rich in information and colorfully illustrated, it also provides information in Spanish.

Mayo Clinic -- Disease and Conditions A-Z http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/DiseasesIndex/DiseasesIndex
Each topic has sections on the signs and symptoms, causes, risk factors, screening and diagnosis, complications, treatment, and when to seek medical advice. You can sign up for a weekly email newsletter, an RSS feed and a personalized page with automatically updated content. A symptom checker and first aid guide are also included in this section.

National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov
Extensive information on types of cancer, treatments, coping with cancer, a dictionary of cancer terms, the NCI drug dictionary, cancer statistics, clinical trials, cancer prevention, genetics, and full text of NCI fact sheets form this important website. There is a link to PDQ (Physicians Data Query), which is NCI's comprehensive databases of cancer information and treatment for physicians. A telephone help line, live online chat service and email help support the extensive information found here. Information is also available in Spanish.

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm
The NDDIC site has an A to Z list of digestive disease topics and titles illustrated with drawings, statistics, list of clinical trials, links to patient organizations, and government agencies and resources. Special sections of easy-to-read information and information is Spanish are included.

National Eye Institute Health Information
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health
A diagram of the eye, glossary of eye-related terms, fact sheets and some videos on eye diseases and condition and eye organization database make this site especially useful. Tips on finding an eye care professional and on financial aid for eye care, as well as information in Spanish, add to this site’s value.

National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute 
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
The NHLBI site provides extensive information on conditions that affect the heart, blood vessels, lungs and blood, as well as sleep disorders. Health assessment tools, educational tutorials and recipes provide useful additional information. Full text color versions of data fact sheets are also available. Information for healthcare professionals is included.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
Health and Human Development information made available with an easy A to Z list, along with clinical trials and health education campaign information. Topic pages provide links to clinical trials, news releases, publications and related websites. Also available is information on research being conducted at and supported by NICHD.

National Institute on Aging
http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Information and tips on healthy aging, care giving, medications, dietary supplements and diseases are included. Resources are available in both English and Spanish. Copies also are provided in PDF format where applicable. Print versions are available for online ordering. Health and aging organization database lists more than 300 national organizations that provide help to older people. A drop-down menu provides subject areas to search for information on how to contact these organizations.

National Institute on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
http://www.niams.nih.gov/
An alphabetical index in English and Spanish for easy to find fact sheets on specific conditions and disorders is available. Publication and revision dates are included  to ensure up to date information. Links to clinical trials and journal articles are also available.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Mental Health Topics http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/index.shtml  This site provides information about the signs and symptoms, treatment and resources available for mental illnesses. Full text of booklets and pamphlets on mental illness can be downloaded or printed. The latest news on mental illness, help in locating services, a link to clinical trials and pre-formatted Medline searches for the latest information add to the usefulness of this site. While the site isn’t in Spanish, many of the booklets and pamphlets are available in Spanish and a link to information on MedlinePlus in Spanish is provided.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
http://www.ninds.nih.gov
Extensive information on neurological disorders is provided at this website. The Disorders Index provides an alphabetic list of hundreds of neurological conditions, their treatments, prognosis, clinical research and contact information for organizations concerned with the condition. Clicking on the link to research literature under each condition leads you to a PubMed search on the condition. An accessible version of the web page is also provided. A news feed, list of patient resources and organizations and Spanish versions of some fact sheets on disorders can also be found at the NINDS website.

National Stroke Association
http://www.stroke.org/
This site provides excellent information on the symptoms of stoke, risk factors, prevention and recovery. Information specifically for women, for men, for African Americans, and caregivers and families as well as medical and EMS professionals is provided. Full text of the consumer publication Stroke Smart and other pamphlets are available. Some fact sheets are available in English, French and Spanish.

Your Orthopaedic Connection (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
Colorfully illustrated patient information is presented by body site and by category. Information on injury prevention, osteoarthritis, sports and exercise, joint replacement and tumors are covered thoroughly. Extensive Spanish language factsheets are provided as well as some information in Japanese, Portuguese, and Thai. A directory of orthopaedic specialists by name, city, zip code and country is provided. 

Drug Information Resources

AIDSinfo Drug Database
http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/DrugsNew/Default.aspx?MenuItem=Drugs&Search=On
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides fact sheets about HIV drugs describing their use, pharmacology, side effects, and other relevant information. The sheets are available in English and Spanish as well as in professional and consumer versions.

CenterWatch/Clinical Trials Listing Service
http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/drugs/drugdirectories.html
This useful resource lists newly approved drugs, drugs in current clinical research, weekly trial results, as well as a link to the PDR Family Medical Guide for Prescription Drugs.

DailyMed-Current Medical Information
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=2115
DailyMed provides reliable information about marketed drugs. It offers the FDA-approved labels (package inserts) as well as the chemical formulas, composition, and physical description of the drug.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
http://www.fda.gov
The Food and Drug Administration oversees the regulation of pharmaceutical and food products as well as medical devices. The site has both professional and consumer information on topics such as specific drugs, taking medications safely, buying generic drugs, and saving money on prescriptions. It also includes a guide to buying drugs safely online, information about recalls and product safety, and drug-drug, and drug-food interactions.

Longwood Herbal Task Force
http://www.longwoodherbal.org
This site has in-depth monographs about herbal products and supplements written by health professionals and students. It provides clinical information summaries, patient fact sheets, and information about toxicity and interactions as well as relevant links. The task force is a cooperative effort of the staff and students from Children’s Hospital, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Herbs, Botanicals, and Other Products
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html11570.cfm
This resource provides an index to evidence-based information about herbs, botanicals, supplements, and other medicines. It is easy to search. The information is at the professional level from articles in clinical medical journals.

NLM Drug Portal
http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov/drugportal/drugportal.jsp
The NLM Drug Portal offers a comprehensive database of prescription and non-prescription drugs, including vitamins and supplements. Users may search by generic or brand name and obtain information from the NLM databases, the FDA, the DEA, and other government sources.

Needy Meds
http://www.needymeds.org
This is a clearinghouse for information about the various assistance programs available from pharmaceutical manufacturers for patients who cannot afford medications. It also has information about government assistance programs and coupons.

PDRHealth
http://www.pdrhealth.com/home/home.aspx
This site for consumers from the PDR includes information about prescription and non-prescription drugs, herbal medicines, and supplements. It also has information about diseases and conditions, surgery, treatment options, and clinical trials.

RxList-The Internet Drug Index
http://www.rxlist.com
This site has information about prescription and non-prescription drugs, herbs, and supplements, searchable by generic and brand name. It also has a useful pill identifier tool, information and slide shows about diseases and health topics, and a medical dictionary.