Are you looking for medical information on the Internet? It’s up to you to verify a site’s credibility.

Whether you’re looking for news, a good price on a digital camera, or reliable health information, savvy Web users know only too well that all Internet sites are not created equal.

Countless sites offer medical guidance to consumers. And for every legitimate research-based provider, dozens publish fallacies instead of facts.

So how can you tell the good from the bad? Answers to these questions can point you in the right direction.

• Does the information originate from the federal government, a university, a research institution, or a commercial entity?
  Web sites of the U.S. government end with “.gov.” Nonprofit medical or research sites, such as the American Heart Association, end with “.org.” University sites end with “.edu.” Sites ending with “.com” are run by companies or individuals that use the Web to sell products or services. Still, some “.com” sites provide objective information. Those sponsored by hospitals or health educators, for example, tend to be credible.

  Credible sites make it easy for visitors to learn who is responsible for the site and its information. For example, on the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each page includes the CDC icon. There’s also a link to the site’s home page.

• How is the site funded?
  Determining the funding source can help you interpret the content. For example, is a diabetes site financed by a drug company that sells medications to treat type 2 diabetes? If so, chances are it will recommend its drug treatment plan over others.
• Does the site have high standards?
  For example, does the site have an editorial board of health professionals to oversee content? Is the information medically reviewed before it is posted? You can often find answers on the site’s “About Us” page.
• Is the information current?
  Medical content should be reviewed and updated regularly. The date of the most recent review should be clearly stated. Be wary of information that has not been reviewed within the past year or two.
• Does the site contain opinions or recommendations based on medical research or hearsay?
  For example, a Web search for arthritis treatments will yield the Arthritis Foundation, which includes evidence-based recommendations. But that search will also turn up sites created by individuals that consist of personal testimonials for untested herbal supplements.
• What are some sites that provide authoritative medical information I can trust?
  • MedlinePlus (www.medlineplus.gov), produced by the National Library of Medicine
  • FamilyDoctor (www.familydoctor.org), the consumer site of the American Academy of Family Physicians
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), the federal government’s main health and safety Web site
  • National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov), the nation’s medical research agency
  • American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org), dedicated to treating and finding a cure for heart disease
  • American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org), dedicated to treating and finding a cure for diabetes
  • Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org), dedicated to treating and finding a cure for the more than 100 types of arthritis

Remember, no matter where you find health information, the most credible source is your personal health care provider. Never change your medications or treatment plan without your doctor’s approval.

By Barbara Floria, senior writer for Vitality.

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