Drkoop wants to minister to global audience

Drkoop.com, the health care Web site fronted by former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, is looking to tap into the international market to gain a wider audience for its medical news and information.

Drkoop will expand globally by establishing local joint ventures and licensing agreements in other countries, the company said in a statement.

The announcement comes on the heels of News Corp.'s $1 billion partnership with online health network Healtheon/WebMD, which includes an allocation of $300 million for global branding initiatives and a $100 million cash investment by News Corp. in an international joint venture.

Austin, Texas-based Drkoop, launched a year ago, delivers information on topics such as proper nutrition for stressed workers, the dangers of polio vaccinations and medical breakthroughs. It has partnerships with other Web sites, health portals, and television and radio outlets.

The company's expansion plans come three months after Drkoop board members ran into legal troubles with securities regulators. One director was caught violating corporate insider trading rules, the company disclosed at the time.

Shortly afterward, the company confirmed that other executives violated federal securities regulations that prohibit directors from selling company stock within six months of purchasing shares.