Databases

For the purposes of registration, a clinical trial is any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes. Clinical trials may also be referred to as interventional trials. Interventions include but are not restricted to drugs, cells and other biological products, surgical procedures, radiologic procedures, devices, behavioural treatments, process-of-care changes, preventive care, etc. This definition includes Phase I to Phase IV trials. 

Physicians around the world use Isabel to help construct or broaden a differential diagnosis. By entering the information normally captured in a patient workup, Isabel provides physicians with a list of possible diagnoses to help them construct their thinking and make an accurate final diagnosis quickly and easily at the point of care.

An authoritative resource on interpreting medical literature, featuring the Users' Guides, Rational Clinical Examination, Care at the End of Life, and supplementary tools such as podcasts and critical appraisal worksheets.

Provides citation data that helps evaluate and compare more than 20,000 scholarly journals in the areas of arts, business, humanities, science, technology, and social sciences. Journals can be retrieved by title, keyword(s), category (subject area), publisher, or country and sorted by several criteria such as total citations and impact factor. 

JoVE Science Education is a revolutionary video library dedicated to teaching laboratory fundamentals through simple, easy-to-understand video demonstrations.

McMaster has access to the entire library including the following collections:

• ADVANCED BIOLOGY
• BASIC BIOLOGY
• CHEMISTRY
• CLINICAL SKILLS
• CORE BIOLOGY
• CORE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
• ENGINEERING
• ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
• LAB MANUAL: BIOLOGY
• LAB MANUAL: CHEMISTRY
• PHYSICS
• PSYCHOLOGY

JoVE publishes the leading peer-reviewed, PubMed-indexed video methods journal. Articles consist of high-quality video demonstrations and detailed text protocols which facilitate scientific reproducibility and productivity.

The scope of the journal includes novel techniques, innovative applications of existing techniques, and gold standard protocols in the physical and life sciences. The content and editorial vision of the journal is advanced by JoVE’s Editorial Board and Science Editors. JoVE’s 2018 impact factor is 1.108.

McMaster subscribes to all of the 13 sections, covering the following areas:

• BEHAVIOR
• BIOCHEMISTRY
• BIOENGINEERING
• BIOLOGY
• CANCER RESEARCH
• CHEMISTRY
• DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
• ENGINEERING
• ENVIRONMENT
• GENETICS
• IMMUNOLOGY AND INFECTION
• MEDICINE
• NEUROSCIENCE

JSTOR provides access to a digital archive of journals in the areas of Arts, Business, Economics, and Sciences. JSTOR includes the entire runs of these journals, from the very first issue to the volumes published a few years ago. With a small number of exceptions - the "Current Scholarship" titles - JSTOR is a backfile collection and excludes the most recent issues (as part of the terms of the agreement with the journal publishers).

Self-serve instructional modules on palliative care in Canada. Users may create an individual account in Pallium Central to track their progress.

A worldwide, open-access, free full-text patent informatics resource. It includes patents from the U.S., Europe, Australia and WIPO and counterparts in several countries. 

MacSphere is McMaster University's institutional repository, which disseminates and preserves the scholarly works of its faculty, staff, and students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. MacSphere also serves as the repository of record for graduate dissertations and theses, satisfying degree completion requirements. All items deposited into MacSphere are made openly accessible--either immediately or after an embargo period.

The world's most comprehensive source of life sciences and biomedical bibliographic information, with nearly eleven million records. A free version of MEDLINE is offered through PubMed.

From the National Library of Medicine (NLM/NIH), MedlinePlus contains health care information for patients and consumers. Offers reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information in English and Spanish—free of ads, accessible anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Contains full-text information about and reviews of all English-language standardized tests covering educational skills, personality, vocational aptitude, psychology, and related areas as included in the printed Mental Measurements Yearbooks.

An information resource for peptidases (also termed proteases, proteinases and proteolytic enzymes) and the proteins that inhibit them.

Evidence-based clinical tool with drug, pediatric, disease, lab, and toxicology info, plus patient education. Mobile app offers drug data, interactions, IV compatibility, and neonatal/pediatric dosing.

A key research platform for brain and cognitive science, offering access to leading primary research since 2000. A major upgrade launched in 2015 enhanced its features and usability.

Covers dietary supplements, natural medicines, and complementary alternative and integrative therapies. Contains seven sub-databases: Food, Herbs & Supplements; Health & Wellness; Sports Medicine; Comparative Effectiveness; Manufacturers; Commercial Products and Medical Conditions.

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Provides free online access to books and documents in life science and healthcare. E-books are also searchable though PubMed.

A collection of advanced neurosurgical techniques including text, videos, webinars, images and practical guidance. An essential resource for neurosurgery and neurology professionals and learners.

NICE provides guidance through evidence-based recommendations for the health and social care sector in the United Kingdom. This website offers free registration allowing access to clinical guidelines. NICE also has a service called Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) which provides care practitioners with a summary of current evidence-based and practical guidance. To request a CKS document, please contact hslill@mcmaster.ca. 

The Norman Bethune Papers document the life and legacy of Norman Bethune (白求恩; 1890–1939), a Canadian thoracic surgeon and internationally recognized figure, revered as a national hero in China. A committed Communist, Bethune provided medical aid during the Spanish Civil War and later served with the Chinese Eighth Route Army, where he died in 1939. His selfless dedication was later praised by Mao Zedong. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, pamphlets, and research materials selected from several sub-collections, including the Norman Bethune Collection, Bethune Foundation Fonds, Roderick Stewart Fonds, Louis and Irene Kon Fonds, and Maurice McGregor Fonds.

Includes journal and magazine articles, books, videos, dissertations and other publications covering nursing, allied health, alternative and complementary medicine, public health, and other healthcare topics. Designed to meet the needs of researchers at healthcare facilities as well as students enrolled in nursing and allied health programs at academic institutions.

An up-to-date collection of demonstration and training videos designed to help students improve their clinical skills. This resource provides access to Medcom's complete collection of 300+ full-length training videos allowing anytime, anywhere access to the latest nurse training materials for optimal patient care.

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) online library of books, reports, working papers, periodicals and statistical data covering a wide range of subjects including agriculture & food, development, economics, education, employment, energy, environment, finance & investment, governance, industry & services,  social issues, migration & health, taxation and transport.  Search by keyword(s) or browse by theme or by country name.

OECD Health Data was developed jointly by the OECD and IRDES since 1991 and offers the most comprehensive source of comparable statistics on health and health systems across OECD countries.

OpenBook Publishers is a not-for-profit Social Enterprise run by academics who are committed to making high-quality research available to readers around the world. Monographs and textbooks in all subject areas are published and all books are available to read free online.

A global online source for high quality and timely orthopaedic-only evidence-based summaries, pre-appraised by orthopaedic medical experts. It utilizes a multi-step process to review, evaluate and summarize research studies, while including critical implications in its Advanced Clinical Evidence (ACE) Reports.

Contains abstracts of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials relevant to occupational therapy.

Overton is the largest index of global policy documents, linking them to research, news, and think tank outputs. It helps authors track where their work is cited and how it influences real-world policy and practice.

Ovid is a research platform offering access to top medical, nursing, and health sciences databases such as MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO. It supports evidence-based practice with advanced search tools and full-text access to trusted clinical resources.