Websites can be a wonderful resource of health information. But not all information found online is reliable or accurate.

Talk with your doctor about health information you have found online, particularly if it disagrees with something you've been told.

Reliable Health Resources

Information from following sources is most likely to be authored or reviewed by medical experts and represent the latest in medical science.

• Government Agencies, such as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Professional Organizations representing the professional perspective of medical specialists, such as the American College of Cardiology (ACC) or American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO)
• Non-profit Disease Advocacy Organizations representing groups committed to supporting those with a specific medical condition and investing in research to develop treatment options, such as the American Lung Association (ALA), American Heart Association (AHA), and American Cancer Society.

Warning Signs

Be particularly cautious websites with the following features:

• The site makes claims that seem unreasonable. Beware of "miracle cures".
• The site tries to sell you something.
• The information on the site is not based on published medical research
• The site does not tell you who is responsbile for the site and how to get in touch with those in charge.
• The site collects personal information, but does not tell you what it will or will not do with that information. The site should have a privacy policy.

Good Places to Start Your Online Search

• Cancer - Cancer.net, from the American Society of Clinical Oncologists
• Children's Health - Healthy Children, from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP
• Diabetes - American Diabetes Association
• Heart Health - CardioSmart, from the American College of Cardiology
• Family Health - Family Doctor, from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
• Neurological Conditions - American Academy of Neurology
• Orthopedic Conditions - OrthoInfo from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS)
• Skin Care and Conditions - Skin Conditions, from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
• Women's Health - ACOG Patient Page, from the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG)