News Moms Need

I’ve done it, and you probably have too. My doctor prescribes a medication. I run home and do a quick Google search.

The Web site that comes up first is often Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia written and edited by its users. But new research raises questions about the drug information on Wikipedia. 

According to a recent study, Wikipedia omits important info about drugs. The research was published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Researchers compared drug info on Wikipedia and Medscape Drug Reference (MDR), which is professionally edited and written. Wikipedia answered fewer questions, provided poor information on drug dose, and left out important facts. Example: Wikipedia failed to state that the drug Arthrotec can cause a pregnant woman to miscarry.

While MDR did better than Wikipedia most of the time, it had its own problems. In a few cases, it had factual errors. The researchers didn’t find any factual errors in the Wikipedia info they looked at it.

What does this mean for you and your family? Neither Wikipedia nor MDR should be your primary source for drug info. Talk to your health care provider and pharmacist first. For over-the-counter drugs, read the package info. For prescriptions, follow the instructions exactly. And read those annoying package inserts with the tiny, tiny type. If you have questions or concerns, ask your health care provider or pharmacist about them. Also, check out the drug info on MedlinePlus, the respected Web site of the National Library of Medicine.

If you are pregnant, take special care since some medications can harm your baby. For more information, read the March of Dime article about drugs during pregnancy.

How do you get info on drugs? What works for you? Tell us about it.

We’re all doing it. Someone in the family gets sick. We head right for our computers and start Googling. And we wonder, “How do I know if what I’m reading is telling me the truth?”

The New York Times has several good articles today that help people find the health information they need. Here are some of the questions that are explored:

1. How do I make sense of research studies?
2. How do I find good information on the Web?
3. What does “FDA-approved” mean?
4. How do I find a doctor?

Here at the March of Dimes, we’re committed to providing honest info to help people make their own health choices. If you have questions about pregnancy and newborn health, visit our Web site. We welcome comments and suggestions from the public. So take a look. 

We also have a very special online community for families who have a baby in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It’s a lively group of parents (mostly moms) who support, and learn from, each other. They also laugh a lot together. Check it out. And tell anyone you know who has a child in a NICU. 

What do you do to find solid health info for yourself and your family?

This is not an easy day for any of us. I was just contacted by a former co-worker reminding me of that morning we spent together seven years ago. I know of three people who lost there lives that day. My brother is doing his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.  My brother-in-law was supposed to start a new job in Tower 1, but was asked to attend an orientation off-site that day. My husband, a medical student at the time, waited in an uptown hospital for patients that would never come. The Peace Corps office was down there. It was 1997 when I had my interview. I’m sad it’s not there anymore.  That night unable to sleep, I walked down to the shore of the Hudson River from my Bronx apartment. I looked south to the very changed Manhattan sky line and sobbed. Things would never be the same again.

To all of the families, mothers and children who were affected by this horrible tragedy, you’re in our thoughts and prayers today and always.

For information and support, please visit http://www.911families.org/counseling.html