Almost exactly one year after its launch in May 2006, NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine is now reaching more than one million readers in doctors’ waiting rooms, hospitals, medical libraries, hospitals and health facilities across the country. Featuring “trusted health information from the National Institutes of Health,” the glossy, 32-page quarterly is produced with the Friends of the National Library of Medicine (FNLM).

“MedlinePlus is another link in our changing world, part of the hand-in-hand approach that NIH wants to extend to the public as we both travel this new era of health care — learning and working together,” explains NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, MD.

Through a consumer-friendly mix of crisp copy, arresting graphics and revealing photos, NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine, presents the latest research findings and treatment advances on many important topics, from cancer to diabetes, the new science of aging well, to childhood obesity and many more.

In the current Summer issue, Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas talks about his stroke and shares tips for successful recovery. In “Oh, My Achin’ Back,” readers get the latest on how to handle back pain, which strikes eight out of ten Americans at some point in their lives. And those who are sleep-deprived can find relief in Snooze Alarm — Your Wake-up Call.

With profiles of real people as well as stars like Douglas, seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, and famed actress Mary Tyler Moore gracing its covers, NIH MedlinePlus is fast gaining widespread public acclaim. Key people steering the magazine include NLM Deputy Director for Research and Education Donald King, MD, Kathleen Cravedi, Deputy Director, NLM Office of Communications and Public Liaison, and former Congressman Paul G. Rogers, Chairman of the Friends of the National Library of Medicine.