Evaluating Health Information on the Web

More and more people are using online resources to make important medical decisions for themselves and family members. According to a recent survey of Internet users, only one-quarter thoroughly check the source and date of information they find online. Do you know how to evaluate the reliability of health information on the Internet?

Here is a short list of questions to consider when you visit a new web site:

Who sponsors the site? An "About This Site" link appears on many web sites; check it out. Credible sponsors include medical schools and government agencies. Manufacturers of medical products, including prescription drugs, may have useful information but don't include information about competing products.

Is the information current? Articles should be dated and reviewed periodically to make sure the content is still valid. Has the site been updated recently?

Is the information factual or does it represent opinions? If so, whose opinions are being presented? Are they qualified professionals or are they trying to persuade you to buy something?

What information does the site collect about you, and why? Many web sites ask you to "subscribe" or "become a member." If you do, the site will collect personal information about you. Make sure you know exactly what they will do with the information. Many commercial sites sell collected data about their users to other companies.

How does the site choose links to other sites? Reliable sites will provide the policy they use when including links to other web sites. Some link to any site that pays a fee; at a minimum, these should be identified (e.g., as "sponsored" links). 

More information about evaluating health resources online is available at:

Medical Library Association: For Health Consumers includes "Top Ten Most Useful Websites" (http://www.mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/topten.html) 

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: 10 Things to Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web (http://nccam.nih.gov/health/webresources/index.htm)