Medical References
Government-Sponsored Organizations
Administration
on Developmental
Disabilities
(ADD)
Programs sponsored
by the US
Dept. of Health
and Human
Services which
link state
governments,
local communities,
and the private
sector to
assist people
with developmental
disabilities
to reach maximum
potential
through increased
independence,
productivity,
and community
integration.
They address
all elements
of the life
cycle: prevention;
diagnosis;
early intervention;
therapy; education;
training;
employment;
and community
living and
leisure opportunities.
Centers
for Disease
Control
Lead federal
agency charged
with protecting
the health
and safety
of Americans
and providing
credible information
to enhance
health decisions.
Web site features
up-to-date
medical news,
health statistics
and “Health
Topics A to
Z,” offering
links to a
broad range
of disease
and health
topics found
on the CDC
Web site.
National
Information
Center for
Children and
Youth with
Disabilities
National information
and referral
center that
provides information
on disabilities
and disability-related
issues for
families,
educators,
and other
professionals,
with special
focus on children
and youth
(birth to
age 22). Offers
searchable
database and
a wide variety
of helpful
materials,
many also
available
in Spanish.
National
Institute
of Neurological
Disorders
and Stroke
(NINDS)
Part of the
National Institutes
of Health,
NINDS is the
nation's
leading supporter
of biomedical
research on
disorders
of the brain
and nervous
system. Web
site features
extensive
searchable
database of
disorders,
plus medical
updates and
information
about clinical
trials.
National
Organization
for Rare Disorders
(NORD)
Federation
of more than
140 not-for-profit
voluntary
health organizations
serving people
with rare
disorders
and disabilities.
NORD is committed
to the identification,
treatment,
and cure of
rare disorders
(i.e., those
affecting
fewer than
200,000 people
in the U.S.)
through programs
of education,
advocacy,
research,
and service.
Organization
maintains
the Rare Disease
Database with
information
about more
than 1,100
rare diseases.
For a cost
of $7.50,
users can
receive a
full-text
version of
a disease
report containing
information
such as symptoms,
causes, affected
population,
related disorders,
standard and
investigational
treatments
(if available),
plus references
from up-to-date
medical literature.
NORD web site
also features
news alerts,
a used medical
equipment
exchange and
information
about 900
orphan drugs
through the
Orphan Drug
Database.
National
Rehabilitation
Information
Center (NARIC)
Funded by
the National
Institute
on Disability
and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR)
to serve all
who are interested
in disability
and rehabilitation,
including
consumers,
family members,
health professionals,
educators,
rehabilitation
counselors,
students,
librarians,
administrators,
and researchers.
Offers information
and referral,
customized
database searches,
and document
delivery,
as well as
access to
its five searchable
databases
containing
more than
60,000 disability-related
records.
Office
of Rare Diseases
Information
from the National
Institutes
of Health
on more than
6000 rare
diseases,
including
current research,
publications,
completed
research,
ongoing studies,
ethical trials,
and patient
support groups.
Toll-Free
Numbers for
Health Information
Hundreds of
toll-free
telephone
numbers for
health-related
organizations
across the
country from
the National
Health Information
Center.
