WebMD and Tencent Partner to Deliver Health Information in China
Agreement to Benefit Millions of Chinese Consumers with Accurate, Trustworthy Content
Jul 24, 2018, 07:00 ET
BEIJING and NEW YORK, July 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WebMD, an Internet Brands company and the leading online health information resource in the U.S., and Tencent, one of China's largest technology companies, today announced a partnership that will bring WebMD's trusted, high-quality original health content to hundreds of millions of Chinese people through Tencent's digital platforms. WebMD's content will be translated into Chinese and localized to best suit the Chinese population.
More than 700 million people use the Internet in China, and nearly two-thirds of all people search for health information.1 However, research shows that much of the online health information directed to Chinese consumers is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading 2,3 and the quality of online health information in China is a primary concern of medical professionals.
"Our agreement leverages WebMD's comprehensive, objective content and brings together two of the largest and most credible digital brands to provide it to the Chinese consumer," said Jeremy Schneider, WebMD's Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Global Strategy. "More than 75 million people in the U.S. rely on WebMD every month to learn about symptoms, wellness, and health news and trends. Now, Chinese consumers can do the same, knowing they can put their trust and confidence in WebMD content on Tencent platforms."
"The agreement between WebMD and Tencent has the power to make a difference in the health of the Chinese people," said Meng Zhang, General Manager of the Tencent Healthcare Information Center. "Inaccurate and poor-quality health information has been a longstanding concern in China. Our collaboration with WebMD has the potential to address this issue."
People in China will be able to access WebMD content via Tencent's digital platforms, including WeChat and QQ Browser. An arrangement of this nature is unprecedented in China and is an important addition to WebMD's growing global presence.
1. China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) Statistical Report on Internet Development in China, January 2018 http://cnnic.com.cn/IDR/ReportDownloads/201807/P020180711391069195909.pdf
2. Liu, Xu, et al. Chin Med J (Engl). 2015 Dec 20; 128(24): 3324–3328
3. Liu and Hu, J Health Med Inform 2016, 7:3
About Tencent
Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Our social products Weixin and QQ link users to a rich digital content catalog, including games, video, music, and books. Our proprietary targeting technology helps advertisers reach out to hundreds of millions of consumers in China. Our infrastructure services -- including payment, security, cloud, and artificial intelligence -- create differentiated offerings and support our partners' business growth. Tencent invests heavily in people and innovation, enabling us to evolve with the Internet.
Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998. Shares of Tencent (00700.HK) are traded on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
About WebMD
WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands Company, is the leading provider of health information services, serving patients, physicians, health care professionals, employers, and health plans through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications. The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites.
WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org®, and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.
About Internet Brands
Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Internet Brands® is a fully integrated online media and software services organization focused on four high-value vertical categories: Health, Automotive, Legal and Home/Travel. The company's award-winning consumer websites lead their categories and serve more than 250 million monthly visitors, while a full range of web presence offerings has established deep, long-term relationships with SMB and enterprise clients. Internet Brands' powerful, proprietary operating platform provides the flexibility and scalability to fuel the company's continued growth. Internet Brands is a portfolio company of KKR and Temasek. For more information, please visit www.internetbrands.com.
SOURCE WebMD Health Corp.