Health 2.0: Patients on Social Networks

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By Catherine Arnst

Will Social Media Transform Medicine?

The Web is becoming one giant consulting room. A Pew Research Center survey found that 80% of adult Internet users in the U.S.—some 113 million people—searched for health information in 2006. Increasingly, they are moving beyond passive searches to interactive forums, blogs, and other social media, a trend often referred to as Health 2.0. Following are some of the most innovative sites on the World Wide Doctor’s Office, arranged alphabetically.

CureTogether

This network was launched in July 2008 by a San Mateo (Calif.) startup to help patients living with chronic conditions collaborate with scientists to accelerate research. It started with three conditions—migraines, endometriosis, and vulvodynia—and has since expanded to support 87 diseases.

Original article at http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/12/1204_patient_power/1.htm