WebMD is the most visited health site on the web. While the general belief is that it’s a trustworthy source of “independent and objective” health information, it’s become quite clear that WebMD (at www.webmd.com) is a shill, using its influence to primarily promote corporate-backed health strategies and products.
Partnerships and sponsorships1 color WebMD’s recommendations across the board, and “passive” promotion techniques, where advertisements are designed to look more like editorials, have become commonplace.
The pharmaceutical industry’s influence over WebMD has of course been evident for some time.2