Could online medical information make you sick?
Thanks to the Internet, people with rare diseases connect online, surgical patients view the details of their procedures and moms even get advice on curing the common cold. But, along with thousands of reputable health-related web sites, there are plenty with biased or inaccurate information that could be potentially harmful. So how do you tell the difference?
Tips to ensure online medical content is valid
The site ownership or sponsorship should be clearly identified and contact information, such as a phone number and e-mail address, should be prominently displayed. "Be aware of who may be profiting from this point of view," suggests Eileen O'Brien, MS, Director of Internet Communications at Virtua Health. "You may prefer non-profit sites or those that do not accept advertising."
Turn to those you trust, such as federal agencies (for example, the National Institutes of Health) and well-known medical associations. Respected disease associations (for example, the American Cancer Society), physician and hospital sites are also good resources.
Get a second opinion. Check a couple of different sites to see if you get consistent information.
Look for seals of approval. Virtua is one of only two health systems in New Jersey to receive the Health on the Net Code of Conduct designation, an international quality standard for medical web sites.