The National Library of Medicine (NLM) reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.

NLM Musings from the Mezzanine is a moderated blog, and all comments will be reviewed before they are posted to ensure compliance with our comment policy. Therefore, comments may not show up immediately. We recognize that the internet is a 2407 medium, and your comments are welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage federal resources (i.e., your tax dollars), moderating and posting comments should only be expected to occur during regular business hours. Comments submitted after hours or on weekends will be read and posted as early as possible; in most cases, this means the next business day.

Our comment policy is designed to encourage respectful, constructive dialogue.

• Stay focused. All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant to NLM Musings from the Mezzanine and the topic being discussed. Only comments that relate tot he topic being discussed will be posted.

• Be respectful. Comments will not be posted if they contain personal attacks, which include discriminatory, racist, offensive, obscene, inflammatory, unlawful, or otherwise objectionable statements, language, or content. Comments that contain partisan political views will not be posted.

• Tell the truth. Comments that contain or spread misleading or false information will not be posted. Here and in other areas of public discussion, make sure that what you are saying is factually correct.

• Be careful about including links and personal information. Since all posts and comments are visible to anyone that stumbles upon this blog, please don’t include or link to any information that would cause security problems or breach confidentiality agreements.

• Refrain from seeking medical advice. Comments that seek a specific diagnosis or request medical advice will not be posted. Please visit NLM’s MedlinePlus for information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues.

• Refrain from commercial activity. Comments or links that promote a particular service or product or that solicit any proposal or business will not be posted.

We reserve the right to determine which comments violate our comment policy and to remove and/or not post comments at our discretion.

The views expressed within posted comments do not necessarily reflect those of the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States Government.

Reporters are asked to send questions to the NLM Office of Communications & Public Liaison through their normal channels and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions will not be posted or answered.

Thank you for taking the time to review our comment policy. We encourage your participation in our discussion and look forward to hearing from you.

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Posts or pages on NLM Musings from the Mezzanine may include useful hyperlinked text or pointers to information created. and maintained by other public and private organizations and persons. We provide these links and pointers solely for our users’ information and convenience. These references are not intended to reflect the opinion of the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the United States Government, or its officers or employees concerning the significance, priority, or importance to be given the referenced entity, product, service, or organization. Such references are not an official or personal endorsement of any product, person, or service and may not be quoted or reproduced for the purpose of stating or implying NLM endorsement or approval of any product, person, or service.

As a Division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we adhere to the HHS Disclaimer Policy. In short:

• When you select a link to an outside website, you are leaving the NLM domain and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside website.

• NLM does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of the information contained on an externally linked website.

• NLM and this blog do not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, and we do not endorse the views they express or the products or services they offer.

• NLM cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked website. Those who provide comments are responsible for the copyright of the text they provide.

• NLM is not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked websites.

• NLM does not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.