Although ProMED often quotes news agencies, we have opted to enter these links for two reasons:


1. These are often the only citations for a given outbreak. Since the reader can now access the source they can easily judge the credibility of the note, thus fulfilling the requirement for evidence-based material. Many of these ProMED references relate to outbreaks in underdeveloped countries and remote areas, and may never find expression in more ‘credible’ publications.


2. Journal articles on a given event appear only after a delay of months to years. The daily counts of cases for current outbreaks of major diseases (Marburg, Avian Flu, Polio) link to ProMED citations of WHO, CDC, etc.