HealthCentral.com will offer its health and medical information to start-up AltaVista's Health Channel, which is scheduled to be part of AltaVista's commerce network. AltaVista, which slated its new network to begin this fall, is majority-owned by CMGI Inc.

The three-year deal will grant AltaVista's users access to data from HealthCentral.com's nationally-acclaimed medical broadcaster, Dr. Dean Edell.

AltaVista Health will also have a customized health risk assessment, personal health record and the latest health and wellness news in addition to an online multimedia library covering more than 6,000 topics.

"The Internet is turning the health industry on its head by empowering consumers to actively participate in the search for knowledge on health, medical decisions and preventive care," said Rod Schrock, AltaVista president and chief executive officer. "Health Central.com is a strong partner and one of several new relationships that will serve as content anchors for the upcoming new AltaVista."