Drugs.com, a free online drug-information database, will join the WebMD Health Network starting January 1, said WebMD.

Drugs.com is presently a member of the Everyday Health Network. The shift means the site’s monthly visitors, now counted toward the total unique-visitor traffic for Everyday Health, will soon be added to WebMD’s tally. As of September, Drugs.com had 4.8 million unique monthly visitors, an increase of 36% vs. September 2008, according to comScore.  

“With Drugs.com in WebMD’s network, we will be providing the pharmaceutical industry with the largest audience of target consumers and patients seeking product-related information,” said a WebMD spokesperson.

Everyday Health surpassed WebMD a year ago to lead the online consumer health space, following its acquisition of Revolution Health.

But an April report in MM&M, citing comScore figures, noted that WebMD had pulled within one million unique visitors of its rival.

The pact also gives WebMD exclusive control over Drugs.com’s pharma and other advertising inventory, WebMD said. Since 2007 the site’s advertising representation has been handled by Waterfront Media, the publisher of Everyday Health Network.  

Drugs.com provides information on over 24,000 prescription, OTC and natural products, along with a pill identifier, drug-interaction checker and online medical dictionary.