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How to Tell the Internet Quacks from the Medical Experts |
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- Check the site for a statement on protecting your confidentiality (e.g. personal medical information, patterns of use and interests).
- If you have to register, know how your personal information will be used.
- Be sure the authors are identified by name, credentials and institution and that information is given by qualified health professionals, unless clearly stated otherwise.
- Consider the source. Sites maintained by governmental agencies, medical schools, professional medical organizations, and major disease-specific nonprofit organizations are generally trustworthy.
- Be sure you can tell the advertising from editorial and information content. Look for a description of the site's advertising policy.
- Be sure online shopping is clearly separated from editorial and information content.
- Read the description of the purpose of the sponsoring organization.
- Search for a statement of the sources of funding of the site.
- Check for clear documentation of the original source of the information.
- Be alert for bias in the way information is presented.
- Check for the date of information. Medical information Is outdated quickly.
- Find Webmaster's email address easily throughout the site.
- Look for mailing addresses and telephone numbers of the organization, addition to an email address.
- Look for the seal of the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (http://www.hon.ch/HONcode/). This seal indicates that the site subscribes to the voluntary principles of this foundation that exists to encourage reliable and credible health information on the Internet.
- Look for accreditation of the website by the URAC Health Web Site Accreditation.
- Don't trust a site willing to give you a virtual diagnosis.
- Make sure the information in the site is designed to support and not replace your relationship with your health care provider.
- If you think something seems odd, it probably is.
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