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The Medical Library at Erlanger

Services for the General Public

Evaluating Medical Information on the Internet

There are some simple rules users should keep in mind whenever they are researching a health-related issue on the Internet. The Internet has no editorial board to oversee the content that is placed on Web pages. Anybody can publish a Web page and anybody can portray themselves as an expert in their field

Because the Internet is so vast and unregulated, it is very difficult to police it for scams, fraud and false information. One designation that is useful to look for is the HON Code, or Health on the Net Foundation Code. HON has adopted a basic list of ethical principles Web site publishers should take into account when posting health information for the public to use.

We generally recommend you check medical web sites for the following:

Authority: Who publishes the site?

Scope: What is the purpose of the site?

Source: Where does the information come from?

Validity: What is the basis for the information? Sound research or just opinion?

Currency: How current is the information? Are dates included?

Feedback: Is there a place for you to contact them via email?

Privacy: Are they collecting data on you? Did you have to fill out a survey?