Luisa Vercellesi
The quality of medical information has always been a major
issue; indexing in medical databases and impact factors help us for journals. And
databases help in ascertaining books through their authors.
We now use medical websites generally knowing that they
are published by known institutions or we retrieve them by "quality" medical
engines. But sometimes we simply search the web or customers come to us with their own
information.
To assess quality check the following (according to HON):
- The site provides and hosts medical/health advice: They are
given by medical/health professionals. A clear statement (e.g. disclaimer) is made that
the advice offered is from a non-medical/health professional organization. No statement
regarding authorship Websites
- The site and its mirrors respect the medical information
confidentiality which apply in the country and state of the site and its mirrors.
- The last modification date of the clinical pages is clearly
displayed.
- The site contains information from other sources: An HTML
link is provided to the source data A bibliographic reference to the source data is
mentioned No reference to the source data is included
- The site offers claims relating to the benefits/performance
of a specific treatment, commercial product or service: The claims are supported by clear
references to scientific research results and/or published articles. The claims are based
on personal opinion
- All the web pages of the site display the contact e-mail
address of the infomaster (webmaster) or a link to it: Yes / No, only few pages / No, not
any page / No, the site only uses a feedback form.
- The source of the funding of the site is: Commercial and
non-commercial organisations: a clear statement describes it. No funding is provided. The
personal/private fund or hosted with no charge: a clear statement mentions it. No funding
explanation is provided
- Pages of the site display advertimement banners: A page
provides a brief description of the advertising policy No explanation regarding the banner
is given.
Luisa Vercellesi
back to TOC EAHIL
Newsletter 47; May 1999
