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Search health databases

Learn how to use the major health databases to find the best available evidence for your research

Introduction to Embase

From January 2022, Embase has moved from the Elsevier platform to the Ovid platform and will look and act a little differently. The resources on this page and in the Advanced Library Essentials for Health courses have been updated to reflect this.

Embase is made up of content merged from three databases:

  • Embase, the Excerpta Medica database from Elsevier – 1974 to present
  • Embase Classic (Excerpta Medica Abstract Journals backfile) – 1947-1973
  • Medline, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, including current Medline (1966 onward) plus OldMedline (back to 1950)

Use the interactive activity below for an introduction to searching Embase.

Search Embase effectively: