Is the health information on WebMD trustworthy (authoritative)? Make an argument as to why or why not.
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M$4 Answers
WebMD is alright if you want just general medical information, their information is sourced but it is pretty vague sometimes. As what was said before, I wouldn't check your symptoms with medical sites, unless it is minor (like a sprain, or a common cold) because they have the obligation to put almost every possibility on there. If you are worried about it, go see your provider, because we figure out the problem by deductive/inductive reasoning from your history (what you tell us) and the physical exam. For example, headaches can mean heart attack, stroke, but these are ruled out by other symptoms. For medical reference, like for diabetes information, I would use the sites below for more detailed information.
*Healthline.com - offers "trust-marks" where the information is reputable sites that are set apart from other links for the web, also shows references. I also like the pill checker, which allows you to figure out a pill that you don't know what it is used for that you found in your cabinet one day.
*hakia.com - another site that allows you to search only credible sites if you want to. Hakia has gotten a lot of credit for this new idea where it does quite a bit of research about the site being credible.
*emedicine.com - an excellent medical reference site that is very comprehensive and used mostly by medical professionals. It is also a part of webMD, but I think that webMD is a little too vague, and I don't like not being able to see where the information came from. This information is pretty technical and assumes some medical knowledge already, though. Most of the information you have to sign in to see, but as a consumer you can do this. When you make your profile, you just select consumer/other, if you want a medical site to belong to, this is a good one. I use this site as my primary medical reference because it is constantly updated, so it is more relevant than my books. ** Not to be confused with emedicinehealth.com that is about the same as webMD
medscape.com - a part of emedicine, so you can access this information if you have a profile already. More of news and update branch than emedicine. Also has a great area on drug info, including the complete drug monograph (the paper with the tiny writing that comes with the drugs), and orders the side effects from most frequent, least frequent, and rare. Also shows all on label and off label uses that have been reported and warnings (like don't drink grapefruit juice with this drug), pregnancy category.
organizedwisdom.com - sorts medical information into categories and gives a whole bunch of reputable sites to go to, including the official site for the disease.
righthealth.com- another reputable links site (part of kosmix.com)
mednar.com - awesome searcher if you are looking for scientific medical journals.
*** A word about alternative medicine and herbs. Many people think that because these are "natural" and have not been studied by the United States government that these are more safe than prescription drugs. They are not. These are drugs, plain and simple, just like the ones at the pharmacy, and have many side effects and interactions with other drugs. Treat them with respect. As medical professionals we do not know the side effects because they have not been studied for a disease state, and just because it says it can be used for cough, ie, does not mean it can be used for all kinds of coughs. Do a lot of research or see an herbologist. Treat your body with care and respect, it is the only one you have :).
medical experience
my own research
comparison to my medical information
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M$
Let me put it this way, if Google made a site called GoogleMD, would you trust it more that regular Google? Just because a site has designation on the end of it, doesn't make it authoritative! I think it's a good jumping off point to get answers, but those same answers could probably be found with any search engine. It's a good site because it aggregates information for you, but I wouldn't trust it as THE definitive answer.
Bottom Line: Consult a professional.
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M$
I appreciate both sides of this argument. As a medical librarian - I know that because the site advertises products and such - it can't be 100% objective. However, my personal experience with WebMD has been for the most part positive. I think that for the average consumer it's a great tool. Although, when medical students are using it for research - not so much. Since I only received two answers for this question - I'm going to let people vote on the best answer - simply so I can see how many others agree with each side. Thank you for your responses. Best, Lindsey
Good points... yet even professionals don't have all the information. I'm sure your wife doesn't know all the interactions between meds even though that's supposed to be her job. She, like any informed person, knows where to find the information.
I'm sure your wife can also tell you how much Big Pharm likes to twist things to make a profit.
You have to get second and third opinions...
Of course, NOONE is the holder of "truth", not even professionals. Gather up as much information as you can and then make an informed decision.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
I appreciate both sides of this argument. As a medical librarian - I know that because the site advertises products and such - it can't be 100% objective. However, my personal experience with WebMD has been for the most part positive. I think that for the average consumer it's a great tool. Although, when medical students are using it for research - not so much. Since I only received two answers for this question - I'm going to let people vote on the best answer - simply so I can see how many others agree with each side. Thank you for your responses. Best, Lindsey
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
