Health Topics
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MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, and a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Our mission is to present high-quality, relevant health and wellness information that is trusted and easy to understand, in both English and Spanish. We make reliable health information available anytime, anywhere, for free. There is no advertising on this website, and MedlinePlus does not endorse any companies or products.
MedlinePlus at a Glance
- Offers information on health topics, human genetics, medical tests, medications, dietary supplements, and healthy recipes.
- Sourced from about 500 selected organizations.
- Offers almost 22,000 links to authoritative health information in English and more than 13,000 links to information in Spanish.
- In 2021, 418 million users viewed MedlinePlus more than 888 million times.
MedlinePlus Features
Read about wellness issues and the symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention of over 1,000 diseases, illnesses, and health conditions. Each health topic page links to information from NIH and other authoritative sources, as well as a PubMed® search. MedlinePlus uses a set of strict selection criteria to choose quality resources to include on our health topic pages.
MedlinePlus has descriptions of nearly 300 medical tests used to screen for, diagnose, and guide the treatment of various health conditions. Each description includes what the test is used for, why a healthcare provider might order the test, how the test will feel, and what the results may mean.
MedlinePlus Genetics offers information about more than 1,300 genetic conditions, 1,400 genes, each of the 23 pairs of human chromosomes, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). MedlinePlus Genetics also includes an educational handbook called Help Me Understand Genetics, which explores topics in human genetics from the basics of DNA to genomic research and personalized medicine. Learn more about MedlinePlus Genetics.
The Medical Encyclopedia from A.D.A.M includes an extensive library of medical images and videos, as well as more than 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries.
Learn about prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies.
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) provides extensive information on over 1,500 brand name and generic prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and vaccines. This information includes side effects, usual dosage, precautions, and storage for each drug.
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version, an evidence-based collection of information on alternative treatments, provides 100 monographs on herbs and supplements.
Healthy recipes available from MedlinePlus use a variety of fruits and vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy, various proteins, and healthy oils. A complete Nutrition Facts label is included for each recipe.
Special Collections
Health information in multiple languages: Links to easy-to-read resources in more than 50 languages. The collection can be viewed by language or health topic, and each translation displays with its English equivalent.
Easy-to-read health information: Materials that are easier for people to read, understand, and use.
Videos and tools: Videos that explain topics in health and medicine, as well as tools such as tutorials, calculators, and quizzes.
Technical Services
- MedlinePlus Connect is a service that allows health organizations and health IT providers to link patient portals and electronic health record (EHR) systems to MedlinePlus.
- For developers, MedlinePlus also has a web service, XML files, and an RSS feed that provide data from MedlinePlus.
More information
Articles about MedlinePlus: PubMed, NLM Technical Bulletin