Prompted by an awareness of the general public's lack of access to scientific literature in the medical field, this paper documents the practical and ethical desirability of eliminating obstacles to those seeking health information. Discussions based on a survey of the literature focus on (1) the concepts and definitions of information, knowledge, and health; (2) information and health care policies; (3) civic science and cultural science literacy; (4) professional monopoly in health care politics; (5) utilization of health information; (6) health information sources; and (7) the role of libraries in health education. A bibliography is provided. (FM)