Amazon.com Review: The Internet and the Information Age promise all the data you can take, but fall short when it comes to helping you understand it all. If you've decided to learn more about your health, the language of medicine can be a daunting obstacle. Webster's New World Medical Dictionary, created in partnership with MedicineNet.com, is an excellent first reference for nonprofessionals; the thousands of definitions are clearly and precisely written and cross-referenced in plain language. The content is "100 percent doctor-produced" and highly reliable, yet edited well enough that those of us on the other side of the insurance card can grasp the meaning quickly. Whether your kid has a greenstick fracture, you want to find out what's so terrible about tetanus that you need a shot, or your tests came back "WNL," you'll find that a little learning, far from being a dangerous thing, can offer greater peace of mind and help you deal more directly with your health care. The accompanying CD-ROM includes a fully searchable electronic version of the text (great for laptops!) and web links to MedicineNet.com's extensive free information on treatments and drugs. It won't beat seven to nine years of study and training, but Webster's New World Medical Dictionary will help you understand your doctor and your health. --Rob Lightner

Product Description: An indispensable home medical reference--now updated with 500 new terms
In today's world of managed care, more and more people are researching illnesses, medical procedures, and pharmaceuticals to make sure they know their options--and get the best possible treatment. Drawing on the expertise of more than seventy specialist physicians at MedicineNet.com, this up-to-the-minute dictionary gives people crystal-clear definitions of over 8,000 medical terms--and helps take the mystery out of healthcare decisions. Going beyond diseases and treatments, the book includes definitions of scientific terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and jargon--even institutions and research projects. Now updated to include the latest pharmaceuticals, procedures, and technologies and offering expanded coverage of herbal supplements--500 new entries in all--this dictionary is a must-have reference for every home medical library.
Readers can access the full, searchable dictionary right on their own computers. The CD allows readers to instantly link to the MedicineNet.com website where they can; try out the Drug Interaction Tool, read in-depth articles in over 650 topic areas, bone-up on current health news, and read editorials on medical topics. MedicineNet.com is one of the Web's most highly regarded sources of medical information. A PC magazine Editor's Choice, the site has more than 7.5 million page views and 1.2 million unique visitors every month.