Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find an answer to your question? Contact us via our Ask 51ÊÓÆµ online form.

51ÊÓÆµ

Health conditions — Where can I find information about a specific disease?

The 51ÊÓÆµ 51ÊÓÆµ page provides access to Institute and Center resources based on scientific investigation.

Health information on the Internet — Can 51ÊÓÆµ offer any advice when searching for health information on the Internet?

The National Institutes of Health (51ÊÓÆµ) has no official role in policing the quality of health information found on the Internet. Nevertheless, we can offer some advice.

  • Web information should not be used as an alternative to seeking professional medical help. Don't use the information you find to make a self-diagnosis.
  • Don't use information found on the Web for self-treatment, especially in cases of serious illness.
  • Use the information you find to become an informed patient. Discuss what you have learned with your medical care providers.
  • When reviewing information you have uncovered, look for dates — how old is the information?
  • Be a critical consumer, ask questions: Has this document been updated? Is there a point-of-contact for the information? Are there any references? Has the information been peer reviewed (critically examined by credentialed professionals)?
  • Remember that the distinction between a paid ad and public service announcements may not be obvious on the Web.
  • Federal, State and even local government often provide health information. Look at the domain name of the site you have found — sites ending in GOV and ORG generally reflect Federal or State sources or non profit organizations.
  • Be particularly cautious when you see claims that a product: cures a wide range of ills, promises a quick fix, or seems too good to be true.

Health and Science Information from 51ÊÓÆµ — How does 51ÊÓÆµ tell the public about the science and health information its research uncovers?

As a public agency, 51ÊÓÆµ is committed to ensuring that accurate information reaches the diverse American public. How 51ÊÓÆµ Brings Health and Science to the Public explains how 51ÊÓÆµ communicates science and health information to patients, families, scientists, industry, teachers and students, health professionals, and the press.

Medical advice — Does the 51ÊÓÆµ provide advice about specific medical conditions?

The 51ÊÓÆµ Web site does not offer personalized medical advice to individuals about their condition or treatment. The resources on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care and we urge you to work with your medical care providers for answers to your personal health questions.

If you have a medical question, please visit the 51ÊÓÆµ on the 51ÊÓÆµ Web site. You should also visit

If you have questions that relate to specific foods, or prescription, or over-the-counter drugs, you should visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) .

Medical treatment — Can I receive medical treatment at the 51ÊÓÆµ?

51ÊÓÆµ is a medical research organization. As such, we only enroll patients who are participating in one of our clinical studies. These trials span a wide range of diseases and conditions. For information about .

Doctor referrals — Can the 51ÊÓÆµ recommend medical specialists or hospitals in my area?

No. However, please visit for information on choosing quality care.

Drug information — Where can I go to learn about prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and narcotics?

51ÊÓÆµ's National Library of Medicine provides a guide to over 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications on its . For the latest information on drug approvals and safety warnings, consult the (FDA) Web site. For information about drug abuse and addiction, visit the (NIDA).

Clinical trials — Where can I go for information about clinical trials?

You can visit 51ÊÓÆµ Clinical Research Trials and You to learn about clinical trial basics, read volunteer and researcher stories, find ways to connect with clinical trials, and locate other educational resources for the public and health care providers.

Alternative Medicine — Where can I find information about alternative medicine?

The NCCAM conducts and supports basic and applied research and training and disseminates information on complementary and alternative medicine to practitioners and the public.

The mission of National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health interventions and their roles in improving health and health care.

Healthy volunteers — Can I volunteer for 51ÊÓÆµ research studies even if I'm healthy?

The 51ÊÓÆµ Clinical Center provides an opportunity for to participate in medical research studies (sometimes called protocols or trials). Healthy volunteers provide researchers with important information for comparison with people who have specific illnesses. Every year, nearly 3,500 healthy volunteers participate in studies at 51ÊÓÆµ. Visit the Clinical Research Volunteer Program to learn about the benefits of volunteering.

Health Statistics — Does 51ÊÓÆµ provide statistical information on health and disease topics?

Some 51ÊÓÆµ Institutes have established special on-line areas to provide statistical information. Visit the following links for information on: cancer, complementary and alternative medicine, deafness and communication disorders, dental health, diabetes, digestive diseases, kidney and urologic diseases, obesity, drug abuse, eye disease, and mental health.

Statistics Information from CDC:

— provided by the National Library of Medicine

Bioterrorism — Where can I go for information about biological agents & other threats and 51ÊÓÆµ's Biodefense efforts?

You can find information about 51ÊÓÆµ's bio-defense efforts at the . For general information about emergency preparedness, we recommend , which is operated by our partner agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Grants and Funding

Grants — Where can I find grant information?

Information regarding funding opportunities from 51ÊÓÆµ may be found on the .This page provides information about 51ÊÓÆµ grant and fellowship programs, policy changes, administrative responsibilities of awardees. Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools provided access to reports, data, and analyses of .

Research Training — Where can I go for information about research training opportunities at 51ÊÓÆµ and other research institutions?

Visit our page. This site brings together information about the intramural and extramural training opportunities offered by all of 51ÊÓÆµ's Institutes and Centers.

Loan Repayment — Where can I find information about the 51ÊÓÆµ Clinical, Pediatric, Health Disparities, and Contraception and Infertility Loan Repayment Programs?

51ÊÓÆµ LRPs are a vital component of our nation's efforts to attract health professionals to careers in clinical, pediatric, health disparity, or contraceptive and infertility research. Visit for all the details and to complete an online application for 51ÊÓÆµ Loan Repayment benefits.

Research Funding — How can I find out how much 51ÊÓÆµ spends on a particular disease, condition or research area?

Check out 51ÊÓÆµ's estimates of funding for various research, condition and disease .

Research Categories — How does 51ÊÓÆµ sort its funding projects into different research, condition and disease categories?

You can read about 51ÊÓÆµ's research, condition and disease .

News and Events

Research highlights — Where can I find information about the latest research highlights coming out of 51ÊÓÆµ?

You can read about the latest research advances on the News and Events page. A list of selected research highlights from the previous year is available. A historical list of these research highlights is available from the

Event schedules — Where can I find information about 51ÊÓÆµ-sponsored conferences and events?

The lists 51ÊÓÆµ-sponsored meetings and other meetings of interest to both employees and the general public. It is updated daily and the listed meetings are free and open to the public.

Scientific Resources

51ÊÓÆµ Image software — Where can I find information about the 51ÊÓÆµ Image software package?

is a public domain image processing and analysis program for the Macintosh. It was developed at the Research Services Branch (RSB) of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (51ÊÓÆµ).

Research standards — Who is responsible for the assurance of proper conduct of research?

The HHS promotes integrity in biomedical and behavioral research supported by the U. S. Public Health Service (PHS) at about 4,000 institutions worldwide. ORI monitors institutional investigations of research misconduct and facilitates the responsible conduct of research through educational, preventive, and regulatory activities.

Stem cells — Where can I locate information about stem cell research?

Visit the page.

About 51ÊÓÆµ

Mission — What is the National Institutes of Health?

Founded in 1887, the National Institutes of Health today is one of the world's foremost medical research centers, and the Federal focal point for medical research in the United States. The 51ÊÓÆµ, comprising 27 separate Institutes and Centers, is one of eight health agencies of the Public Health Service which, in turn, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Simply described, the goal of 51ÊÓÆµ research is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability, from the rarest genetic disorder to the common cold. The 51ÊÓÆµ mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. 51ÊÓÆµ works toward that mission by: conducting research in its own laboratories; supporting the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helping in the training of research investigators; and fostering communication of medical and health sciences information.

Organization — Where can I find organizational charts for each of the 51ÊÓÆµ Institutes and Centers?

Follow this link for a list of for each 51ÊÓÆµ Institute or Center.

Location — Where is the 51ÊÓÆµ located?

The main campus of the National Institutes of Health (51ÊÓÆµ) is located in Bethesda, Maryland. Our main mailing address is:

National Institutes of Health
Building 1
1 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892

Information about how to get to 51ÊÓÆµ.

51ÊÓÆµ scientists conduct their research in laboratories located on the main campus in Bethesda, and in several field units across the country and abroad. The 51ÊÓÆµ also has facilities in the Rockville, Maryland area and the at Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD. The main facility is located in Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina.

Other laboratory facilities include the 51ÊÓÆµ Animal Center in Poolesville, MD; the National Institute on Aging's Gerontology Research Center in Baltimore, MD; the , also in Baltimore; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, MT, and several smaller field stations.

Visitors — Where can I get information about visiting the 51ÊÓÆµ?

Maps, driving directions and links to popular campus locations are located on our Visitor page. Information about entering campus and its buildings, parking, using campus transportation and current security measures. To find out if 51ÊÓÆµ is open, see .

Mailing address — What is the main mailing address of 51ÊÓÆµ?

Our mailing address is:

National Institutes of Health
Building 1
1 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892

Toll-free number — Does 51ÊÓÆµ have a toll-free telephone number?

Toll-free Health Info lines may be found at /health-information/health-info-lines. The main number for 51ÊÓÆµ is 301-496-4000.

Staff directory — How can I locate an 51ÊÓÆµ employee address, phone number, and e-mail address?

The 51ÊÓÆµ email and phone directory for .

51ÊÓÆµ Director — How can I contact the Director of the 51ÊÓÆµ?

Mailing address:
Director, 51ÊÓÆµ
9000 Rockville Pike
MSC 0148
Bethesda, Maryland 20892

E-mail: execsec1@od.nih.gov
Web site: http://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director

51ÊÓÆµ budget —  Where can I find information about the 51ÊÓÆµ budget?

Links to Congressional Testimonies about the 51ÊÓÆµ budget are available. More information about the 51ÊÓÆµ budget can be found on the .

Business opportunities — Where can I find information about conducting business with 51ÊÓÆµ?

A number of Web pages have been developed to help you do business with 51ÊÓÆµ. If you are a small business, bookmark the page to take advantage of monthly seminars on "Conducting Business with 51ÊÓÆµ." Information about contracts and other business opportunities can also be found at the .

FOIA requests — How do I submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request?

Information regarding Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Information Quality — Where can I find out about quality of information at 51ÊÓÆµ?

Our site contains guidelines, policy and instructions on requesting a correction.

Jobs at 51ÊÓÆµ

Jobs — Where can I find information about employment opportunities at 51ÊÓÆµ?

Information about employment opportunities at 51ÊÓÆµ may be found at .

Internships — Where can I find information about summer internships?

Information about the Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research may be found at .

51ÊÓÆµ Website

Ownership — Who owns and operates the 51ÊÓÆµ Website?

The 51ÊÓÆµ Web site at www.nih.gov is maintained by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL), which is part of the Office of the Director, 51ÊÓÆµ. Collectively, large segments of 51ÊÓÆµ Web space are owned and operated by each of the 27 Institutes and Centers that comprise 51ÊÓÆµ.

Purpose — What's the purpose of the 51ÊÓÆµ Website and how does it serve the public?

The purpose of the 51ÊÓÆµ Web site is to support the mission of our agency. 51ÊÓÆµ conducts scientific investigation in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems. 51ÊÓÆµ applies that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. As part of our mission we direct programs for the collection, dissemination, and exchange of information in medicine and health, including the development and support of medical libraries and the training of medical librarians and other health information specialists. The 51ÊÓÆµ Web site serves the public by offering ready access to:

  • Clinical studies;
  • Health and wellness information;
  • Information on obtaining research funding;
  • Research resources and library resources;
  • News, events, and educational activities related to 51ÊÓÆµ and its mission;
  • Scientific program, policy, and planning documents;
  • General information about the agency, its history, organizational structure, staff, and facilities.

More Information — Where can I find more information about the 51ÊÓÆµ Website?

For more information about the 51ÊÓÆµ Web site, contact the
OD OCPL Digital Communications Branch
Phone: 301-435-2932
E-mail: olib@mail.nih.gov

Privacy — Does 51ÊÓÆµ have a privacy notice posted online?

Yes, 51ÊÓÆµ does have a privacy notice, it can be found at /web-policies-notices.

Updates — How often is the 51ÊÓÆµ Website updated?

The 51ÊÓÆµ Web site is not just one site but a large collection of sites — over 150 servers. Some areas are updated daily while others may not be updated for weeks or months.

Copyright — Is the content on our Website copyrighted or free to use?

Most of the information on our site is in the public domain and can be used without charge or restriction.

There are a few exceptions. For example, some resources, such as the Interactive Health Tutorials found on 51ÊÓÆµ's National Library of Medicine Website, as well as images on the 51ÊÓÆµ Web site have been licensed by a third party and are restricted in their use. Generally, copyrighted materials will include a copyright statement. If in doubt, please write to the contact point for that site.

In addition, the word mark ±·±õ±á…Turning Discovery Into Health® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Another item restricted in its use is the 51ÊÓÆµ logo. The 51ÊÓÆµ logo is designed to signify official 51ÊÓÆµ products, activities, events, representatives, and facilities. It should never be used to promote or suggest endorsement of non-51ÊÓÆµ products, events, or services. It should never be used by outside parties to misrepresent the purpose, character, policies, or mission of our agency.

Also, some materials that can be ordered from our site are subject to cost-recovery fee; however, in most cases, a single copy of any 51ÊÓÆµ publication can be ordered for free.

While you can reuse content found on our site, please note that many of our on-line health publications are continually updated as we learn more about that specific disease or condition. Occasionally, sites that copy and re-post our materials fail to check for updates, which results in out-of-date information being offered to users. For that reason, we urge you to link to our resource documents rather than re-posting. If you do re-post, please check back periodically to see if there are revisions.

51ÊÓÆµ logo — What is the policy for using the 51ÊÓÆµ logo?

The 51ÊÓÆµ logo is designed to signify official 51ÊÓÆµ products, activities, events, representatives, and facilities. It should never be used to promote or suggest endorsement of non-51ÊÓÆµ products, events, or services. It should never be used by outside parties to misrepresent the purpose, character, policies, or mission of our agency. For more information about the 51ÊÓÆµ logo, contact logo@nih.gov.

Linking to 51ÊÓÆµ — May I link to the 51ÊÓÆµ Website?

Unless noted otherwise, it is safe to assume that information posted on public Web sites within the "51ÊÓÆµ.GOV" domain are considered to be "in the public domain." As such, you are free to establish links to 51ÊÓÆµ on-line resources. In establishing such links, we do ask that you avoid creating the impression that 51ÊÓÆµ is endorsing or promoting any particular product or service.

Links from 51ÊÓÆµ — Will the 51ÊÓÆµ link to my Website?

As a Federal agency, 51ÊÓÆµ cannot endorse or promote commercial or individual interests or services. This includes adding links and logos from non-51ÊÓÆµ entities. In some cases, where the information serves the public good and is consistent with our mission, we may include an outside link to an external resource; however, these need to be examined on a case-by-case basis. In general, the web developer of each particular site determines when links to outside entities are justified.

51ÊÓÆµ Photographs — Where can I find 51ÊÓÆµ photographs?

Please visit our Image Gallery.

Health Campaigns — Where can I find information about 51ÊÓÆµ health campaigns?

A list of Selected 51ÊÓÆµ Education and Awareness Campaigns is available at /about-nih/selected-nih-education-awareness-campaigns.

This page last reviewed on May 9, 2024