Fwd: [RD] CBSnews.com: Best Health Info sites

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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/11/earlyshow/saturday/main605476.shtm

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Health Sites With The Right Stuff

NEW YORK, March 12, 2004

Each year, more than 80 million Americans go to the Internet to look up

medical information. Unfortunately there are many Web sites that are more

than just inaccurate, they're also dangerous.

The Saturday Early Show's Dr. Mallika Marshall provided viewers with advice

on finding reliable medical resources online.

When searching the Web, Marshall suggests going to sites that are affiliated

with respected and well-known institutions, such as the American Heart

Association. This way you can be assured there are credible experts behind

the data.

Marshall says to stay away from sites that are run by a single person or

organization that you've never heard of. Also, avoid Web sites that make

outrageous claims. Marshall says it's important to remember the old adage:

if it's too good to be true, it probably is. As a rule, many of the

government-sponsored sites are good, but there are exceptions. And, Marshall

says you should be wary of any Web site that hawks products such as vitamins

or homeopathic remedies.

Marshall recommended a few Web sites according to categories.

General Health

Webmd.com

Intelihealth.com

Healthscout.com

If you want the latest medical news or accurate information about illnesses

such Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, Marshall says these are all good

places to visit. They have the latest information that's been vetted by

people with strong credentials. These sites are also very good at explaining

things in a way non-medical people can understand.

Pediatric Issues

AAP.org (American Association of Pediatrics)

This is not the site you'd visit to find the best way to bring down a fever.

That said, it offers valuable information about topics such as childhood

immunizations. And it has good advice on ways to protect your child from

sports injuries. Marshall says the Web site also provides good links to

other sites.

Women's Health Issues

4women.gov

Marshall recommends visiting 4women.gov to find information for many health

issues specific to women, such as pregnancy and breast cancer. The

4women.gov site is organized by the federal Department of Health and Human

Services. Like many government Web sites, it's very reliable. When

searching, Marshall says to be as specific as possible, because it tends to

bring up many pages.

Public Health

CDC.gov

This is another government-sponsored site. CDC.gov has all the latest

information on topics such as this winter's deadly flu outbreak and includes

advice such as who should be vaccinated. There's also a whole section that

offers medical advice you'll need if you're traveling internationally, as

well as a section on workplace safety.

Heart Disease

Americanheart.org

This is the Web site of the American Heart Association. It has great

information not only for people suffering with the disease, but information

to help patients' loved ones. Marshall says Americanheart.org also has a

great section that helps you determine whether you are at risk of developing

heart disease.

Cancer

Cancer.org

This Web site is maintained by the American Cancer Association. Marshall

says its has almost everything you'll ever need to know about the disease,

including how different cancers are treated and a guide to cancer-fighting

drugs.

Alternative Medicine

Naturaldatabase.com

Marshall says much of the information on the Internet about alternative

medicine is inaccurate and dangerous. So, it's especially important that

people know of a good place where they can get reliable information about

herbal and dietary supplements. Marshall says Naturaldatabase.com is a good

destination for reliable information.