Web Watch
Follow global health with these web sites
To gain a perspective on emerging contraceptive technology research, family planners may benefit from an international perspective on reproductive health care. Get a global overview with the following web sites:
1. World Health Organization, "Reproductive Health." Web: http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization offers this introductory web page to access information on international reproductive health issues, including family planning, sexual and reproductive rights, and adolescent sexual health. Click on the "What’s New" link to read articles from the current issue of the quarterly newsletter, Progress in Reproductive Health Research, published by the UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization.
2. International Planned Parenthood Federation Medical Bulletin. Web: http://www.ippf.org.
The London-based International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) links national autonomous family planning associations in more than 180 countries. Its IPPF Medical Bulletin provides up-to-date and unbiased information on clinical, service delivery, and managerial aspects in family planning and sexual and reproductive health. For example, the August 2001 issue offers information on transdermal contraception, barrier methods of contraception, and sexually transmitted infections. The site carries issues in English, French, and Spanish versions dating back to 1998. All issues are available in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Click on "Medical" under the "Resources" box on the home page, then click on "IPPF Medical Bulletin" to access the publication.
3. Alan Guttmacher Institute’s International Family Planning Perspectives. Web: http://www.agi-usa.org.
The New York City-based Alan Guttmacher Institute is a nonprofit organization focused on sexual and reproductive health research, policy analysis, and public education. Its International Family Planning Perspectives provides the latest peer-reviewed research on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia. The quarterly publication emphasizes contraception; fertility; adolescent pregnancy; abortion; family planning policies and programs; sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS; and reproductive, maternal, and child health. Articles from the current issue are provided in HTML (can be read from your Internet browser program) and Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Click on "International Family Planning Perspectives" under "Periodicals" on the home page to access the publication.
4. Program for Applied Technology (PATH) Outlook. Web: http://www.path.org.
Program for Applied Technology (PATH) is a Seattle-based nonprofit international organization that focuses special attention on improving the quality of reproductive health services and preventing and reducing the impact of widespread communicable diseases. Its publication, Outlook, features news on reproductive health products and drug regulatory decisions of interest to developing country readers. Readers can download issues dating from 1995 in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Click on "Publications" under "Resources Online" on the home page, then click on "Outlook" to access the publication.
5. British Medical Journal. Web: http://www.bmj.com.
The London-based British Medical Journal (BMJ) "publishes rigorous, accessible information that will help doctors improve their practice and influence the international debate on health." The Internet BMJ contains a portion of the material published in the weekly BMJ; nonsubscribers can view the current contents pages, structured abstracts, editor’s choice, and "This week in BMJ," as well as search the archives.
6. The Lancet. Web: http://www.thelancet.com.
The Lancet is an on-line version of the London-based The Lancet medical journal. Nonsubscribers to the printed journal can register free of charge with the web site to access selected articles.
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