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Linking to MedlinePlus

You are welcome to link to MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov/) and to any of its health topic pages. Please indicate that the link is to MedlinePlus.gov.

We recommend that you link to:

When you see the Share button on a MedlinePlus page, you may use it to link to that page in your individual social networks.

You may also link to any of the widgets and buttons provided by MedlinePlus. Visit the MedlinePlus widgets and buttons page to find instructions on how to embed MedlinePlus HTML code in your own Web sites.

MedlinePlus provides XML data via its Web service and XML files. These services are designed for use by developers, and they allow you to easily display, customize, and repurpose MedlinePlus data. If you want to link patients or healthcare providers from electronic health record (EHR) systems to relevant MedlinePlus information, use MedlinePlus Connect. You are welcome to link to and display the data provided by these services.

You can use the following text to describe MedlinePlus:

MedlinePlus directs you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. MedlinePlus also contains extensive information about drugs and supplements, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive tutorials, the latest health news, and surgery videos.

How not to link to MedlinePlus

The National Library of Medicine licenses material expressly for use on MedlinePlus. This material is copyrighted. You may not systematically link to any of the copyrighted material found on MedlinePlus.

Do not systematically link to:

  • the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, including http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html
  • individual news stories and videos – HealthDay and Reuters stories expire after 90 days
  • individual tutorials from the Patient Education Institute
  • individual drug monographs from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
  • individual herb and supplement monographs from Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
  • individual surgery videos from ORLive

Do not link directly to any of the pages listed above in any way other than through the Share button, e-mail for individual use, or via MedlinePlus APIs such as MedlinePlus Connect.

You may not frame or manipulate web addresses (URLs) so that MedlinePlus pages appear on a URL other than www.nlm.nih.gov or medlineplus.gov. You may not give the impression or create the illusion that MedlinePlus pages are under another domain name or location.

The MedlinePlus RSS feeds are for personal use only. They may contain licensed content and, therefore, NLM cannot grant you permission to use the MedlinePlus RSS feeds on your web site or information services.

For more information on copyrighted materials on MedlinePlus, please see our copyright FAQ.