The purpose of this website is to provide patients and their family members with reliable information concerning thyroid disease. Since the paper version was first published, ten years ago, there has been increased recognition of the ubiquitous nature of thyroid diseases and new methods of early diagnosis. This has resulted in many more patients now being treated for thyroid disorders. Although much "mythology" concerning the thyroid gland exists, the patient must have accurate and dependable knowledge of their problem in order to be optimally treated.