FDA to post information on WebMD
Agnecy will provide food-safety warnings, recalls and other alerts in an advertisement-free section.
FDA warnings and consumer information will appear on the online medical information portal WebMD under a partnership announced today. The agency will provide food-safety warnings, recalls and other alerts in a dedicated, ad-free section of WebMD's Web site, FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said.
The agency will contribute to WebMD's bimonthly magazine, which is distributed in physicians' offices nationwide. The Web site has over 50 million visitors per month, according to von Eschenbach, while 9 million people read the magazine.
Wayne Gattinella, president and CEO of WebMD, said visitors' trust in the site's brand would help the FDA get information out. Von Eschenbach countered the claim that the partnership raises questions about whether the FDA is endorsing the reliability of WebMD's information by allowing government content to be presented there.
"I don't think this should be construed as the FDA putting a seal of approval on WebMD," he said, pointing out that advertising will not be displayed alongside FDA content. He added the agency is exploring similar partnerships with other organizations.