Socialized medicine that's easy to swallow

As people-turned-patients turn to the web for advice and insight on their conditions, their treatments and their doctors, support group sites that people can trust to be current and serving their best interests have popped up and thrived.

Much has been written lately on the collective wisdom gained from these social networks. And brands who can harness this kind of inimitable research and condition-treatment-side effects analysis will be in the best position to offer patients and physicians the tools, motivation and support they are looking for to improve their lives and reduce their challenges and frustration.

Certainly there are plenty of also-rans and pretenders in this category. But we've highlighted four of the best health-specific social networking sites that have been a part of the solution for years and, because of it, have built a following no self-serving brand could hope to attain. But by being a part of these types of communities as a knowledgeable expert, commenter and contributor, healthcare brands can listen, learn and leverage what their audiences are really saying.
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Patients Like Me
A beautifully simple concept with a name ripped right from the vernacular, this site gives people the opportunity to share experiences on their treatments, symptoms and research.

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Wego Health
This community "empowers health activists to help others," bringing the leading online minds together to share ideas and findings, while maximizing their reach to the patients and doctors they want to help.

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I'm Too Young For This
Here you'll find all the attitude you'd hope for in a site driven by young adults (and the young at heart) unyielding in their fight against cancer.

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Diabetes Mine
As it says in the description: "Here you'll find 4 years' worth of info on every imaginable aspect of living with diabetes — from food scales to pharma news and book reviews, to the exasperating things other people say." web articles