1. We give you the facts.
SmartMEDinfo gives the true medical facts, not an advertising slant. Unlike nearly all medical information sites on the web, SmartMEDinfo accepts absolutely no drug company funding. We don’t run any ads for medical products, drugs or supplements. People who are looking for straightforward information do not realize that what they are usually reading is influenced by drug money.
[See Who Provides Medical Information on the Web]
2. It’s all about you.
The physicians and pharmacists who write for SmartMEDinfo have a keen interest in patient well being. We are not in the pay of any drug manufacturer and hold no stocks or interests in any pharmaceutical company. The bottom line is, we don’t make money by misleading you into taking potentially dangerous unnecessary medications. [See About Us]
3. Finally, a truly understandable medical site.
SmartMEDinfo gives you videos and articles written in plain language that anyone can understand. You won’t find complicated medical terms here, just the straight-talking low down on what you need to know.
4. We tell you what the drug maker doesn’t want you to know.
Look up individual Fact Files™ on common prescription drugs and find out what the drug does, what is known and not known about its safety, and how well it actually works (or not).
Is it FDA approved for your condition?
What are the controversies about your drug?
How does the treatment affect the body?
How does the treatment affect the mind?
What unwanted effects may occur?
What are the alternatives, including the option no treatment?
[Check out a sample Fact File™]
5. Find out what your doctor isn’t telling you, or just may not know.
You get the LowDown™: videos and in-depth articles on common conditions, giving information that your doctor may not be telling you or may not know.
Did you know that 41% of prescriptions are given for something that they were not FDA approved for? This is called “off label” prescribing. Doctors do not routinely tell you that they are giving you a drug that has not passed the testing for your specific condition; they don’t tell you that it was FDA approved for something else, not for what you have.
Doctors are generally good people, but they rely heavily on drug company or device-maker brochures to get their information. Even medical journals and continuing medical education seminars are strongly influenced by their advertising clients - the drug companies. Your doctor is not likely to be aware of any safety issues beyond what the pharmaceutical companies tend to provide. What does your doctor personally know about the safety of the drug? How long was it tested? How long were patients followed after taking it to determine if they developed bad effects? Have there been any new reports of side effects? [View a Sample LowDown article]
6. The FDA is not doing enough to keep you informed.
The FDA does not do any drug testing: Most patients do not realize that all of the studies submitted to the FDA for drug approval are done by the drug makers themselves. In other words, the very company that stands to profit is the one who comes up with studies that show their drug “works” and is “safe”.
FDA approval committee members have conflicts of interest: The members that sit on the advisory committees that vote to approve new drugs are commonly in the pay of the makers of the very drugs they are voting on. Even though there are rules against this, “waivers” are commonly granted.
The FDA does not keep doctors informed: Whenever there is a very serious drug reaction the FDA is supposed to require the drug maker to send out “Dear Doctor” letters to every doctor in the country. But sometimes they don’t, such as the new homicide warning went on the package insert for Wyeth’s Effexor© - incredibly, the FDA did not require any letter to doctors. Therefore, unless your doctor personally reads the FDA website every day, he or she will not even know of drug warnings to give you. [Read more in the FAQ section]
7. Learn how the latest medical news affects you.
SmartMEDinfo gives you plain-speak summaries of the latest-breaking medical news, without the usual bias. It is estimated that only 1% to 10% of all drug side effects ever get filed with the FDA. Read the news for reviews of the latest medical reports, factual flu updates, government announcements, side effect warnings, and drug company corruption and mischief.
[See the News without a subscription]
8. Incredible value!
Your private SmartMEDinfo subscription is only $49 per year, (about the price of a monthly cup of coffee). [Sign up today!]
We offer special rates to employers, medical professionals, insurance/benefit groups, and wellness plans.
9. Up-to-date
SmartMEDinfo is constantly updated and reviewed to keep you informed about the latest drugs and medical procedures.
10. Trustworthy.
SmartMEDinfo content is provided by medical doctors and pharmacists, and is entirely backed by current medical research publications. [See About Us]
There is one more top reason to subscribe to SmartMEDinfo:
11. You are not stupid!
You are not willing to let something as important as your health be decided by the drug makers, or by a doctor who is “just too busy”. SmartMEDinfo empowers you with information you can use to make the best medical decisions.
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