How can web 2.0 help medicine?

I’m a little bit keen on this subject. Just a little bit, you know well. I’d like to share some interesting projects, tools with you to demonstrate how this new generation of web services/tools could help the work of physicians, scientists, medical librarians, etc. Let’s start with a great article from Manhattan Research called Physicians and Web 2.0. Some interesting excerpts:

This is not a new Internet, just an evolved version of the Old one.

If we narrow the definition of a “Web 2.0 Physician” to that of a physician who reports to post professional content online or participate in online communities with other physicians – as a proxy for the audience within the participatory components of the Web 2.0 trend – the latest data reveal a segment of 245,000 physicians.

Another interesting finding is that female physicians are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to engage in online communities with other physicians.

If you take a look at some projects and articles like these below, you’ll understand how much web 2.0 can be helpful for medicine:

• The human disease network: A network of disorders and disease genes linked by known disorder–gene associations offers a platform to explore in a single graph-theoretic framework all known phenotype and disease gene associations, indicating the common genetic origin of many diseases.

• iPath: a collaborative platform for exchange of medical knowledge, distance consultations, group discussions and distance teaching in medicine. With 2562 active users, 211 groups!

• OpenOncoMarker Project: to democratize germline (constitutional) mutations detection strategy in the cancer predisposition genes by global decentralized collaboration and dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of society. (Via Cancer-genetics.com)

• Mutalyzer: This tool was created to help authors use the correct Human Genome Variation Society nomenclature. (Via OMMBID Blog)

Here are some more examples:

• Medicine 2.0
• Genetics and Web 2.0: the presentation
• Medicine 2.0: the Blog Carnival of Web 2.0 and Medicine
• Top 10: Virtual Medical Sites in Second Life!
• 10 Tips for How to Use Web 2.0 in Medicine
• Google Labs: useful features for physicians and scientists
• Take Part in Constructing the Future of Medical Education: Join the Virtual Medical Center

If you happen to know more, tell us!