NEW YORK, May 16, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal Online today announced a new Health Blog offered as a free feature at http://blogs.wsj.com/health. The blog offers analysis on health and the business of health including news about the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, FDA actions, medical issues, and health insurance.
The lead writer for the Health Blog is Jacob Goldstein, who recently joined the Journal from the Miami Herald where he was a medical writer. Scott Hensley, who covered the drug industry as a reporter for the Journal for seven years, is the blog's editor and a contributor. The blog also includes posts from other staffers at the Journal worldwide, WSJ.com and Dow Jones Newswires. Videos featuring Goldstein and other Journal staffers appear regularly within the blog posts as well.
"The Health Blog is a substantive addition to our growing blog network, which generates millions of page views a month," said Bill Grueskin, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal Online. "With its unique combination of authoritative posts and informed comments, this blog has quickly become an important forum for those interested in the business of health care, and the implications for their own personal health issues."
Launched in March, the Health Blog has generated more than 2,000 reader comments from doctors, health-care industry experts, pharmaceutical industry professionals, consumers and patients affected by the companies and topics discussed on the blog. Posts generating the most interest include:
* "How Effective is Merck's HPV Vaccine?" -- asked readers whether girls and young women should be required to get a vaccine against cervical cancer. * "The Prophet of Walking While You Work" -- profiled a Mayo Clinic researcher who wants to fight obesity by equipping desks with treadmills. * "The Other Gray's Anatomy" -- compared the star of TV hit Grey's Anatomy with the author of the classic medical textbook Gray's Anatomy. * "Rock-Star Surgeons Tone Deaf on Communication" -- reported on problems surgeons have in talking to colleagues and patients. * "Ex-Pfizer Boss McKinnell Speaks" -- featured former Pfizer CEO Hank McKinnell in his first interview following his departure from the company.
The Health Blog takes a deeper look at the drug industry through a data-driven feature called Pharma Box Office that has proven to be popular with industry insiders, doctors and consumers. Recent topics include drug companies reducing their staff of sales representatives and consumers switching to other prescription medicines following the removal of Vioxx from the market in 2004.
The launch of the Health Blog coincides with a redesign of WSJ.com's Health section at www.wsj.com/health. The section now features a dynamically-updated Health Blog module with the most recent posts, as well as quick access to the breadth of the Journal's health coverage including news articles and stock prices. In addition, users can access "Health Journal" by Journal columnist Tara Parker-Pope, "What's Your Workout" by Jen Murphy, "The Doctor's Office" column by Benjamin Brewer M.D., and "The Informed Patient" column by Laura Landro, assistant managing editor of The Wall Street Journal.
The Health section has been expanded to include a multimedia feature called Checkup that focuses on treatments -- both in development and on the market -- for important medical conditions. Each Checkup provides in-depth analysis using graphs, data charts and video interviews with medical experts. Notably, the first Checkup interactive feature on anti-clotting drugs later developed into a story on the front page of the print Journal's Marketplace section. Each Checkup will be flagged in the Health Blog.
Today WSJ.com began an online science column called Lab Journal. Written by Peter Landers, an editor for the Journal's Page One and previously a reporter in the paper's Health and Science and Tokyo bureaus, each Lab Journal column will introduce readers to a scientist working at the cutting edge of health and related fields. The Health Blog will frequently point to this column.
WSJ.com's blog network now includes more than 10 free blogs covering such diverse topics as law, politics, wealth, energy, deals, markets, "Numbers Guy," which examines how numbers are used and manipulated, and "The Juggle," a look at balancing work and family. Additionally, WSJ.com features timely, event-driven blogs such as "Prime Time Journal" offering updates, buzz and programming lineups from the TV networks' "upfront" ad-selling period. Previous event-driven blogs include the Davos Economic Forum, the Consumer Electronics Show, and "Heard on the Runway" covering the international fashion shows. All of the blogs are available at http://blogs.wsj.com.
About The Wall Street Journal Online
The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com, published by Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) (www.dowjones.com), is the largest paid subscription news site on the Web. Launched in 1996, the Online Journal continues to attract quality subscribers who are at the top of their industries, with 931,000 subscribers world-wide as of Q1, 2007. The Wall Street Journal Online network includes CareerJournal.com, OpinionJournal.com, StartupJournal.com, RealEstateJournal.com and CollegeJournal.com.
The Online Journal provides in-depth business news and financial information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with insight and analysis, including breaking business and technology news and analysis from around the world. It draws on the Dow Jones network of nearly 1,900 business and financial news staff -- the largest network of business and financial journalists in the world.
In 2007, the Online Journal received the Webby Award for Best Website in the Financial Services category. In 2005, the Online Journal was awarded a Codie Award for Best Online News Service for the second consecutive year, and its Health Industry Edition was awarded Best Online Science or Technology Service for the third consecutive year.
The Wall Street Journal "Online" logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2637