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Iguard.org is an online medical service that keeps users informed about the medications that they are taking. Registered users can get a free Medication Check, which gives information about all of the medicines they are taking, including a risk assessment, side effects, possible interactions, and information from other users. The site provides the ability for anyone to search for information about a particular mediation or medical condition. There is a user discussion for each of the medications and conditions listed on the site.

Registered users can also choose to receive safety alerts and news and information about recalls for the prescriptions they are taking. The site has a convenient top menu bar for navigation, which includes headings for What is Iguard?, Look Up Drugs, Look Up Conditions, In the News, and About US. This menu bar is shown on all pages on the site. All of the information on the site is given in easy to understand laymen’s terms, and the site gives statistics for drugs and conditions based on user responses to surveys.

The site assigns a risk level to each medication listed on the site. These risk levels range in number from 1 to 5, with 1 being the least risk and 5 being the highest. A ranking of 1 means that there is a low risk of serious side effects when used according to instructions. A risk level of 5 means that the medication requires very close monitoring of benefit versus risk. The Medication Check also identifies possible drug interactions and marks them with a clearly visible caution sign.

Iguard.org was founded in 2007 by Hugo Stephenson, MD, who is currently President of the company. The company is a subsidiary of Quintiles Transnational, a multinational contract research organization. Iguard is base in Princeton, NJ. The site has hundreds of thousands of registered users. iGuard has changed its name to MediGuard in December 2010.

Iguard competes with sites such as WebMD and Healthline. While both of these sites provide much more comprehensive medical information, they do not offer the personalized medication check offered by Iguard. Also, the information provided about prescriptions by WebMD and Healthline tends to be a little more technical in nature.

The Iguard site has a very clean and uncluttered look. Navigation is intuitive using the top menu bar which is available from any page on the site. The site displays no advertising. Pages loads are fast, and searches are returned in a matter of a few seconds. The Medication Check feature is easy to use, and provides comprehensive results.

Users can search for information about medications and conditions without registering at the site. However, registration is required for the Medication Check, to receive email news and alerts, and to participate in the medication and condition discussions. The registration process asks the user to enter all of the medications they are taking, all of the medical conditions they have, their age, sex, race/ethnicity, zip code, their email address and a password. Validation of the email address is required, after which the first personalized Medication Check is sent via email to the user.

Registration is free and there is no premium membership offered by the site.

Iguard is recommended to anyone concerned about the safety and risks associated with the prescription medications they are taking. The site provides comprehensive information about the drugs that a user takes and conditions that a user may have. In addition users can get feedback from other users about their experience with those drugs or conditions. The site is easy to use and the information is provided in everyday language, making it an excellent resource for information about medications and conditions.

• Users can get a free Medication Check which gives risk and safety information about the prescriptions they are taking, including possible side effects and interactions
• Users can get comprehensive information on medications and conditions
• Community discussions provided for each medication and condition listed on the site
• Easy to use search facility
• Information is provided in laymen’s terms – easy to understand

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