We explore some of the best in dermatology-specific
sites on the Web and provide thoughtful analysis on their features,
from the very basic to the latest in multimedia-rich content.
The Allergy Report
The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (AAAAI) provides
this manual for primary care health professionals, intended to supply
science-based guidelines on the clinical diagnosis and management
of allergic disorders. The manual, written by a task force composed
of representatives from a variety of medical, government, and patient-advocacy
organizations, also covers barriers to effective treatment, future
research needs, and more.
www.theallergyreport.org
ASDS Patient Safety Campaign
The ASDS in question behind this straightforward
site for physicians is the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery,
the largest subspecialty
organization in the practice of dermatology. The Society developed
this site in response to the recent “proliferation of… cosmetic
procedures by nonphysicians,” a development that has been accompanied
by a corresponding increase in patient complications. A variety of
resources aimed at improving patient safety—including survey
results, news articles from numerous sources, and position statements—is
available here.
www.asds-net.org/Media/PatientSafety/media-patient_safety.html
CDER Drug Database
In an attempt to make comprehensive medication information more readily
available to physicians, the FDA has created the most powerful drug
database on the Internet, accessible through its Center for Drug
Evaluation and Research site at the URL below. Visitors can browse
every medication currently approved by the FDA, or search the database
by active ingredient, application date, or action date. For most
drugs, the site indexes label information, therapeutic equivalents,
and a summary of approval history.
www.fda.gov/cder
Dermatology Image Database
The more than 200 images of dermatologic
complaints and conditions available at this site are presented
courtesy of the University
of Iowa College of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology.
The archive is extremely easy to use; visitors simply click on
the name of a
disease to see a picture of its manifestation. Dermato-pathology
images are also available, in a separate collection accessible
through this one.
http://tray.dermatology.uiowa.edu/DermImag.htm
Dermatology Laboratory Tests
The University of Rochester offers this
modest assortment of information related to dermatologic laboratory
testing. The site’s most
important feature is a detailed and well-organized collection of
pages describing and explaining less common forms of testing. Other
resources include patient registries for five different conditions
and a high-quality news section.
www.urmc.rochester.edu/dermdb/
Dermatology Online Journal
This open-access, peer-reviewed publication
has been extant since 1995; it was published only once or twice
annually until 2003,
when five editions were issued. Each issue contains original research
from around the world as well as reviews and case reports. The
overall
aim of the publication is to “provide relevant information
and improve the way scholarly content is shared;” no subscription
or registration is required to view the journal in its entirety.
http://dermatology.cdlib.org/
DermIS
Although its design is simple and unspectacular, this unassuming
but very highly recommended site features a great deal of information
arranged in an intuitive, user-friendly format. First, visitors
will find three separate image archives: a basic dermatology atlas
comprising
more than 4,500 images, a 2,000-item pediatric dermatology image
atlas, and the fascinating HebraAtlas, a visual trip through the
history of the specialty. Supplemental resources include lectures,
case reports, condition-specific reference information, and much
more; all content is available in English, Spanish, French, German,
and Portuguese.
http://dermis.multimedica.de/index_e.htm
eMedicine: Atopic Dermatitis
Access this article by Bernice R. Krafchik,
MB, ChB, Head of the Dermatology Section at the University of Toronto,
originally published
by eMedicine in 2002, free of charge or registration at the URL below.
The piece covers the clinical features, diagnosis, work-up, and treatment
of atopic dermatitis (eczema), using eMedicine’s familiar and
efficient bullet point format.
www.emedicine.com/derm/topic38.htm
Medscape Dermatology
No list of online dermatology resources
would be complete without a mention of Medscape’s section on the subject, replete with
praise for the sites timeliness and attention to detail. Recent additions
to the page include resource collections focusing on genital herpes,
HIPAA compliance, and skin cancer, eight free CME activities, a series
of case studies discussing Kaposi’s sarcoma and Merkel cell
carcinoma, and an assortment of “ask the expert” columns. www.medscape.com/dermatologyhome
National Registry for Ichthyosis and Related Disorders
This patient registry is now closed to new enrollment. However, it
continues to serve as a database of knowledge about ichthyosis, erythrokeratodermas,
Darier disease, Hailey-Hailey disease, extensive epidermal nevi,
and related conditions, all available free of charge to interested
investigators and dermatologists. The anonymity of all registrants
is strictly preserved.
http://depts.washington.edu/ichreg/ichthyosis.registry/
National Rosacea Society: Professional Resources
Although the home site of this nonprofit advocacy organization concentrates
mostly on providing support and information to patients, some tools
for physicians are available. These include a .PDF file outlining
the recently-developed standard classification system for rosacea,
as well as several educational publications designed to be distributed
to patients.
www.rosacea.org/physicians/index.html
OncoLink: Skin Cancer
This highly-regarded resource from the
University of Pennsylvania is divided into three sections, each covering
a different form of
skin cancer (Kaposi’s sarcoma, melanoma, and cutaneous T-cell
lymphoma). All three sections include both physician-oriented and
patient-friendly materials, including disease and treatment overviews,
clinical trial information, conference schedules, and more.
http://oncolink.upenn.edu/types/types.cfm?c=18
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