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According to The Harris Poll, 70 million Americans went online between June 1998 and June 1999 looking for health information.* With more than 20,000 Web sites dedicated to nearly every conceivable health subject, you must ask how reliable is the information?
Since 1997, the Internet Healthcare Coalition has been working to provide clear guidance for evaluating online sources of health information -- from product- or disease-related sites developed by regulated manufacturers, to peer-reviewed electronic publications, to patient support and discussion groups. The Coalition's goal is to develop well-informed Internet healthcare consumers, professionals, educators, marketers and media.
The Internet Healthcare Coalition offers the following tips in evaluating the reliability of online health information and advice:
- Choosing an online health information resource is like choosing your doctor. You wouldn't go to just any doctor and you may get opinions from several doctors. Therefore you shouldn't rely on just any one Internet site for all your health needs. A good rule of thumb is to find a Web site that has a person, institution or organization in which you already have confidence. If possible, you should seek information from several sources and not rely on a single source of information.
- Trust what you see or read on the Internet only if you can validate the source of the information. Authors and contributors should always be identified, along with their affiliations and financial interests, if any, in the content. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses or other contact information should also be provided.
- Question Web sites that credit themselves as the sole source of information on a topic as well as sites that disrespect other sources of knowledge.
- Don't be fooled by a comprehensive list of links. Any Web site can link to another and this in no way implies endorsement from either site.
- Find out if the site is professionally managed and reviewed by an editorial board of experts to ensure that the material is both credible and reliable. Sources used to create the content should be clearly referenced and acknowledged.
- Medical knowledge is continually evolving. Make sure that all clinical content includes the date of publication or modification.
- Any and all sponsorship, advertising, underwriting, commercial funding arrangements, or potential conflicts should be clearly stated and separated from the editorial content. A good question to ask is: Does the author or authors have anything to gain from proposing one particular point of view over another? Avoid any online physician who proposes to diagnose or treat you without a proper physical examination and consultation regarding your medical history.
- Read the Web site's privacy statement and make certain that any personal medical or other information you supply will be kept absolutely confidential.
Most importantly, use your common sense! Shop around, always get more than one opinion, be suspicious of miracle cures, and always read the fine print.
*The Harris Poll, Aug. 5, 1999
Other Resources:
Health On the Net
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