FDA Teams With WebMD For New Online Consumer Health Information

I am not a fan of WebMD because it - to me - is too locked in to mainstream medicine and the standard of care mentality.

However if consumers can get information sooner on the "Red Alerts" it is a good thing.

A new online consumer health information resource on WebMD.com (www.webmd.com/fda): Consumers can access information on the safety of FDA-regulated products, including food, medicine and cosmetics, as well as learn how to report problems involving the safety of these products directly to the FDA. In addition, WebMD will bring the FDA public health alerts to all WebMD registered users and site visitors that request them. The cross-linked joint resource will also feature FDA's Consumer Updates—timely and easy-to-read articles that are also posted on the FDA's main consumer Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer).

The FDA contributions to WebMD The Magazine: FDA Consumer Updates will also be featured at least three times a year in WebMD's bimonthly magazine, which reaches nearly nine million consumers. The magazine is distributed to physician office waiting rooms across the country.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01918.html