Banking on the continued growth of the online healthcare category, well-funded upstarts are taking on the market leader WebMD.

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OrganizedWisdom has launched the first social networking site focused purely on healthcare. The site provides a platform for consumers, health care professionals, and health organizations to collaborate and share knowledge on more than 6,500 health topics. Through the company's SponsoredWisdom program, health care companies can contribute educational research.

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Big name investors seeing profit opportunities are taking an interest in the online healthcare space, reports The Washington Post. The Carlyle Group, Allen and Sequoia Capital last year purchased HealthCentral Network; America Online co-founder Steve Case is set to launch RevolutionHealth.com this fall; and Time Warner Inc., will launch EverydayHealth.com - a "personalized" health site - later this year.

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MDLinx, which owns and operates a network of 32 medical portals and 36 consumer health portals, announced today it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with So-net M3, a Sony Communication Network Group company.

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As part of its strategy to remain the leading provider of online health information, WebMD plans improvements in its search functionality, general page layouts, and video and other rich media offerings.

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WebMD continues to consolidate its position as the largest online healthcare portal, acquiring eMedicine for $25.5 million.

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New online doctors portal will provide pharma clients with the largest U.K. Doctor Network.

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Both MSN and Yahoo! are expanding their heath content. The Yahoo! augmentation will focus on integrating content with community and enhancing searchability, while MSN plans on increasing the breadth of their health content.

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WebMd has launched a Medicare Rx Benefits Resource Center . This new resource area will provide comprehensive information about Medicare and new prescription drug benefits for seniors and their caregivers. The WebMd Medicare center, which was developed in conjunction with The National Council on the Aging, will provide access to various tools related to Medicare drug coverage and eligibility, tools to compare prescription prices, information about medical conditions, medications and other health related issues. Complete Article.

Interesting article about the history, current state and future prospects of WebMD, which has become the "800-pound gorilla" in a variety of online health information for consumers and physicians, physician practice-management software and medical transactions.