FDA reforms health care information - teams with on-line content provider

FDA announced today a new and  very consumer friendly method of communicating critical updates regarding adverse events, medication issues, and other important notifications.  In their just announced deal with Waterfront Media, owners of the Everyday Health information portal, consumers can now have one stop access to FDA alerts on multiple subjects in just one newsletter.  Previously, in order to get all of these updates, you would have to research FDAs site and sign up for multiple alerts.

This new consumer friendly and stream-lined approach has a familiar WebMD-ish feel, with links to interactive tools, symptom finders, calculators and even a community.  Users can manage their own content by subscribing to their areas of interest via this page.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Everyday Health to reach millions more consumers with accurate, science-based information that can help them make decisions about their health,” says Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “This partnership will increase our ability to deliver important and sometimes urgent health information in an effective, consumer-friendly, and convenient way.”

While a search for the word Birmingham yielded only some local infertility specialists, I can see that the site supports local reach efforts by having a Ning or Facebook type of area where you can connect with your friends and family and share content, or even health blogs.  I suppose the login requirement and controls on the site comply with HIPAA requirements as FDA could not work with them otherwise, but be aware that posting health information can have consequences!

All in all I think this is a very effective communication tool.  If you liked this article, please click on my home page and subscribe to my feed for up to the minute news and health information for our area.