How to Find Health Information Online

If your typical search for health information consists of typing a topic into a search engine, you’re not alone. But you’re also not guaranteed quality results. The websites that top your search list may not be up-to-date or reliable. Next time, consider starting
with sources you can trust. Two great options: MedlinePlus and Healthfinder.gov.

• MedlinePlus (medlineplus.gov) — Look up a condition or disease at MedlinePlus, and you’ll find a page organized to make it easy to find the information you’re looking for. Sponsored by the National Library of Medicine — part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — the website draws from the Library of Medicine, NIH, other government agencies, and health-related organizations. Other MedlinePlus features include a drug and supplement look-up, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, and current health news headlines and links.
• Healthfinder.gov (healthfinder.gov) — Another one-stop-shop for finding reliable health information online, Healthfinder.gov draws on more than 1,600 government and non-profit organizations to point you to current information. The site — a product of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — also offers consumer health guides, recent health news by topic, and a directory of health-related organizations.

When it comes to specific websites, the FTC suggests looking for:

• Government websites. Sites ending in .gov, such as the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at cdc.gov, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at medicare.gov, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at fda.gov/consumer, National Cancer Institute at cancer.gov, National Institute on Aging at nia.nih.gov, and National Women’s Health Information Center at womenshealth.gov, are produced by agencies of the federal government and generally reflect the most recent research and information.
• University or medical school websites, with web addresses ending in .edu,
  or sites for well-known, trusted health facilities.
• Websites for not-for-profit groups that focus on research and teaching the public about specific diseases or conditions. These websites typically end in .org, but keep in mind that “.org” doesn’t guarantee a site is reputable. Scammers may set up bogus .org sites to rip off consumers.