FDA and WebMD Team Up in Online Resource
A leading online source of health information, WebMD is expanding its consumer access by teaming up with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although many online visitors are aware of the FDA website, as many as 50 million use WebMD. “We are enthusiastic about this collaboration with WebMD because it will enable us to reach more consumers with accurate, science-based information that can help them improve their health,” said Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., commissioner of food and drugs. “This is an important step forward in our effort to form partnerships to help bring timely safety alerts and other public health information to a wider audience in the most effective and convenient way.” WebMD visitors will be able to access information of FDA-regulated products such as food, medicine and cosmetics as well as report problems involving the safety of products directly to the FDA. FDA health alerts will also be included in the co llabor ation. “As a leading brand of health information, we are pleased to be partnering with the FDA to provide consumers with public health and safety information, direct from the source,” says Wayne Gattinella, WebMD president and chief executive officer. “This important partnership is consistent with WebMD's longstanding mission of providing for Americans access to credible and relevant health information.” According to a national study released in August 2008 by the Center for Studying Health System Change, researchers found that 32 percent of American consumers, approximately 70 million adults, conducted online health searches in 2007, compared with 16 percent in 2001.
