Issue 12 - June 2000

Sorry for the delay, it's been a rough month, having produced my first website for one of my employer's clients. Since the site is of a medical nature, I've devoted this issue to health and medicine. My head is full of medical terms and societies, which I can finally dispense to you people.

First up is WebMD, a US based site for both professionals and consumers. It is very large and well maintained, and, as is the case with most of these sites, well up to date. The current headline at the time of writing is how wine can actually be healthy for your heart, if consumed in moderation. The content is US-centric however.

Moving closer to home is Netdoctor. billed as the UK's independent health website. The site is less cluttered than WebMD's, and very clearly structured, so you'll soon be able to find information on ailments, cures and the latest health news.

The BBC, being the public information service that it is, has a wealth of health and fitness material on its BBC Health and Fitness site. It ties in with BBC programmes and the Health section on the excellent BBC News site, and also has lots of interactive surveys and games to help promote health awareness to users of all ages and genders.

Clickmango is probably the oddest title for a health site I have seen, and its style is very fun and fruity. The site is championed by actress Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous, The Avengers), who writes articles and subscriber newsletters. Natural therapies and relaxation techniques seem to be the running theme of the site, which is no bad thing when you are feeling stressed out and want to find something to lift the weight off your shoulders.

For professionals in the world of health and medicine, all the major journals have a web presence; the British Medical Journal and The Lancet are the big boys here. Highly respected journals containing essential up to date material, as well as vast archives of reports from past issues.

The World Health Organisation is the international body responsible for keeping countries informed and advised about health and medicine. 31 May marked World No Tobacco Day - the image below greeted first time visitors - a throwback to how tobacco was originally advertised, notably by Marlboro in the 1950s and 60s. WHO organize special days to mark aspects of public health which are of concern to the world today.

Back here in the UK, the National Health Service have gone online by launching NHS Direct, which offers advice to people on common ailments and illnesses via interactive questionnaires. It is rather handy, although before you go too in-depth, the inevitable request to call their hotline beckons.

Well, that's all for this issue. The above sites cover more than enough material to get you started, and contain copious links to many more sites across the web.

See you next time!

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