Through the NIH Web site, users can link to the home pages of individual institutes and offices that collectively make up the NIH. Many of these home pages supply users with full-text versions of fact sheets, brochures, and other materials along with online databases, scientific resources, and staff directories. For example, users can access obesity and weight-control information from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN) via the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) home page. Health professionals and consumers can easily download, print, or read full-text of WIN fact sheets, brochures, pamphlets, and related information. In addition, WIN Notes is now available online, allowing users to download, print, or read newsletter articles.

Under "Health Information" on the NIH Web site, users can search for specific health information by using resources such as the NIH Information Index. This index contains information on diseases currently under investigation by NIH or NIH-supported scientists, major research areas, and important health topics. The Health Services/Technology Assessment Text (HSTAT) is another resource that provides full-text of clinical practice guidelines, quick-reference guides for clinicians, and consumer brochures. In addition, users can access information on the NIH consensus development program and download, print, or read consensus statements and technology assessment statements, such as the "Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Body Composition Measurement" technology assessment conference statement.

Under "Grants and Contracts," users can find out about NIH research and programs. This links users to information on NIH's extramural research and training programs including funding opportunities, grant policy and award data, and access to the Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) database. CRISP is a searchable database that contains full-text documents on biomedical research ventures supported by the U.S. Public Health Service, including NIH intramural research programs. By clicking on "Scientific Resources," users can obtain intramural research news and information and online library catalogs and journals.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest biomedical library, is another resource that can be accessed under "Scientific Resources" on the NIH Web site.  Through HyperDOC, the library's Web server, users can obtain a variety of resources, including tools for finding health and other medical information at the library, NLM publications, and information on research programs. Users also can access MEDLINE, NLM's database of biomedical literature, and PREMEDLINE, a new database consisting of in-process article citations and abstracts before they go into MEDLINE. PREMEDLINE is updated weekly and provides the most current bibliography of biomedical information.

In addition to the NIH Web site, a number of other Federal Web sites provide health information to health professionals and consumers. The National Health Information Center (NHIC) Web site provides users with a list of Federal health information centers and clearinghouses and toll-free health information numbers. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Web server has a "Selected DHHS Internet Resources" database that allows users to conduct online searches to identify Federal sources of health information on specific topics. The DHHS Web site also provides users with a comprehensive list of DHHS agencies' and organizations' specialized search engines and databases. The list includes Grateful Med, History of Medicine OnLine Images (a collection of photographs and prints), and the Food and Drug Administration Web server.

Federal Web sites are reliable and up-to-date sources of health information that health professionals and consumers can access quickly and easily. These sites can be accessed on the World Wide Web by entering the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address in the space provided.

Federal Web Site URL Addresses:

National Institutes of Health: http://www.nih.gov

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: http://www.niddk.nih.gov

U.S. National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov

National Health Information Center: http://www.health.gov/nhic