It is said that good information is the best medicine, however, just like drugs, information given lightly or incorrectly can turn into poison. law, is more relevant than ever in the era of web 2.0, where the possibility of publishing documents is within the reach of anyone and the search for medical information is increasingly widespread. Hence the need to draw up a series of guidelines and general rules to evaluate the reliability of medical information learned on the web, making the most of its innumerable resources.
Index
- Rule 1: the web CANNOT replace the doctor - patient relationship
- Rule 2: the reliability of information is the fundamental requirement to avoid the dangers of the web
- Rule 3: do not take the place of the attending physician
- Rule 4: use Blogs and Forums in the best way
- Rule 5: mastery of the language and abbreviations used on the web
- Rule 6: Pay close attention to online drug purchases
- Rule 7: pay close attention to online weight loss diets
- Rule 8: Supplements are not drugs
- Rule 9: pay attention to natural products and alternative medicines
- Rule 10: take advantage of the resources offered by the web with serenity
[index] Rule 1: the web CANNOT replace the doctor - patient relationship
As many internet sites have learned to specify, the medical - scientific information disseminated on the web must be intended to improve, and not replace, the doctor-patient relationship. Although the internet is often used to search for information that the doctor was unable to transmit, due to a too hasty interview, it is still unthinkable - as it is dangerous and absolutely incorrect - to try to obtain an online diagnosis. Only the doctor who knows the patient's clinical history, including present and previous diseases and disorders, familiarity with certain pathologies, the results of diagnostic and objective tests, the possible intake of drugs and anything else necessary for the treatment of the same , in fact, he can prescribe the most appropriate medical and pharmacological therapies. For the same reason, it is absolutely dangerous and irreverent to openly challenge the diagnoses and treatments prescribed by the doctor simply based on what you have learned on the web.
[index] Rule 2: the reliability of information is the fundamental requirement to avoid the dangers of the web
Although the internet represents a great and undisputed opportunity, often the scientific level of the information disseminated is at least questionable. In fact, there are numerous and constantly expanding Italian and foreign websites that host information sheets on pathologies, drugs and possible therapies, not to mention the consulting and sales services of pharmaceutical products or supplements. How to evaluate, therefore, the correctness of all this information available on the web? The guidelines proposed by the "Health On the Net" Foundation are undoubtedly to help. This international body is in fact concerned with certifying, and embellishing with a symbol of recognition, the internet sites that deal with matters relating to health and medicine in full. compliance with the following guidelines:
Any medical information provided and hosted by the site will be written solely by medical experts and qualified professionals, unless an explicit statement does not specify that some information comes from non-medical persons or organizations.
The information disseminated by the site is intended to encourage, and not replace, existing relationships between patient and doctor.
Personal information regarding patients and visitors to a medical site, including their identity, is confidential. The site manager undertakes to honor the legal conditions of confidentiality of medical information in compliance with the laws of the country where the servers and mirror-sites are located.
The origin of the information disseminated must be accompanied by explicit references and, if possible, by links to these data. The date of the last update must appear clearly on the page (for example at the bottom of each page).
Any claims relating to the benefit or improvements induced by a commercial treatment, product or service will be supported by adequate and weighted evidence under Principle 4 above.
The creators of the site will endeavor to provide information as clearly as possible and will provide an address at which users can ask for further details or support. This e-mail address must be clearly visible on the pages of the site.
Patronage of the site must be clearly identified including the identities of commercial and non-commercial organizations contributing to the funding, services or material of the site.
If advertising is a source of the site's subsidy it must be clearly stated. The site managers will provide a brief description of the advertising agreement adopted. Each promotional contribution and any advertising material will be presented to the user in a clear way to differentiate it from the original material produced by the institution that manages the site.
Although the HonCode certificate is a very important measure for evaluating the reliability of medical information disseminated by a website, its absence is not necessarily synonymous with poor scientific value and bad information. A website, in fact, can comply with the HonCode guidelines without in the case of this site, for example, the HONCODE certification was denied because in some informative articles on doping the dosages usually used by athletes are reported.
[index] Rule 3: do not take the place of the attending physician
The information "in bits and pieces" learned on the web, in the various magazines and commercial books, cannot and must not be confused with the cultural background of a professional, at the base of which there is a multi-year university course, experience in the field and continuous updates. Thinking that you know more than your doctor risks jeopardizing not only the health of the person concerned, but also his relationship with the doctor himself; in such circumstances, in fact, trust would be lacking, an indispensable element for following the therapies correctly. and implement the advice received also from a preventive point of view.
[index] Rule 4: Use Blogs and Forums in the best way
The possibility of using the various on-line consultancy services (e-mail or forum) is often much appreciated by web surfers; this characteristic is typical of the so-called blogs and forums, where - generally after registration - the user can request medical consultations directly from the authors of the articles or from the professionals registered on the site.
Also in this case, the rules illustrated at the beginning apply, so the answers or solutions provided through this service cannot replace a real visit to a doctor, which is the only action allowed to diagnose and prescribe a treatment.
[index] Rule 5: mastery of the language and abbreviations used on the web
[index] Rule 6: maximum attention to online drug purchases
Browsing through the various internet sites dedicated to health it is not so difficult to come across sales proposals that have as their object medicines, often completely without quality guarantees and coming from the black market. Medicines to treat erectile dysfunctions, anorectics, anabolic steroids, antidepressants, anti-cholesterol, anti-alopecia are certainly among the most popular, not to mention the countless spam emails that every day invite you to purchase drugs via the web to treat the most diverse ailments. Last but not least there are sites that offer "medicines" or "natural" products to treat serious diseases, even cancers.
Although in Italy it is illegal to sell drugs through the Internet, including the so-called "over the counter" or OTC ones, the problem seems unarginable. In this regard, a greater commitment is desirable in the dissemination of awareness campaigns on the potential risks of such practices. Those who buy drugs online, in fact, accept the risk of not receiving the paid product or worse still of receiving counterfeit medicines without adequate health checks, expired or containing toxic substances or active ingredients other than those declared, or in any case in doses different from those. specified. The risks in this sense are naturally greater for drugs that can only be purchased on presentation of a medical prescription.
[index] Rule 7: maximum attention to online weight loss diets
On the web, one of the most popular topics in the health area is undoubtedly that of slimming diets. Often, in this regard, one encounters improvised professionals or in any case not authorized by law to prescribe and sign diets and eating schemes, whether grammed or not. The only professional figures who have this task are doctors, biologists and dieticians (the latter on medical advice) No other professional figure (including pharmacists and graduates in physical education) can draw up a diet.
Relying on the diet plans proposed by various websites, even when reliable and written by qualified personnel, can be dangerous, especially if there are health problems and associated diseases, such as diabetes, thyroid dysfunction or hypertension. We remember, in this regard, that the diet is a "tailored suit", the one that suits one person may be too wide or too tight for another, and in this case it would risk tripping her or taking her breath away.
[index] Rule 8: Supplements are not drugs
Browsing the web it is very easy to come across advertisements relating to supplements portrayed as a real "panacea", with sometimes miraculous and even curative properties. These are obviously reprehensible messages, contrary to the law and generally harmful. Many slimming supplements, for example, are described as the ideal solution for an easy, fast and effortless weight loss, supporting the image with user testimonials or the classic "before and after" photographs. There are also products that contravene not only the law, but also common sense, promising to permanently eliminate cellulite, regrow hair, increase penis size, increase height and so on.
According to the current legislation, a supplement can NOT be attributed therapeutic and / or curative properties, and in this regard there must not even be a reference to it. The advertising propaganda of the supplements recommended for weight reduction cannot make any reference to the timing or amount of weight lost as a result of their use; rather, it must recall the need to follow a low-calorie diet and practice an "adequate sporting activity, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. The advertising message must specify a" careful reading of the warnings, if these are foreseen. Finally, the advertising of products containing natural ingredients must not exclude the possibility of unwanted side effects.
[index] Rule 9: pay attention to natural products and alternative medicines
In recent years, the number of people who choose to treat themselves with "natural" or "alternative" products has grown steadily. The main explanations for the phenomenon are to be found in the widespread fear of running into episodes of intolerance or allergy towards some drugs, in the side effects of the same, but also in the widespread and mostly erroneous belief that the natural product is, by definition, less or less. nothing harmful and free from side effects and toxic. This "legend" must necessarily be debunked because phytotherapeutic remedies should be treated in the same way as traditional synthetic drugs. Many products of plant origin, for example, can interact with synthetic drugs, altering their effects, and at the same time be contraindicated in numerous pathological or physiological disorders and conditions (pregnancy, breastfeeding, young age, senescence, etc.). It is no coincidence that phytotherapy is an allopathic discipline that exploits the same principles of conventional medicine to define the most suitable treatment of pathologies, using only remedies of plant origin. This science, if applied to the best of the available scientific evidence, can represent a valid and useful support for the treatment of many ailments and diseases, or even replace traditional drugs (many of which derive from plant sources). Much more delicate is the question relating to alternative medicines, thus described because they are not accepted by official medical science, as they have not passed or have not been subjected to the appropriate experimental tests conducted with a scientific method. Such practices, despite the healing role often emphasized too lightly for commercial purposes, could therefore be ineffective or even harmful to health.Among the long list of alternative medicines, the best known are traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy, aromatherapy, Bach flowers and Ayurveda.
[index] Rule 10: take advantage of the resources offered by the web with serenity
By applying the rules and behaviors presented in the article, the web can become a place for insights, news and updates, but also for support, discussion and listening. Through blogs, forums, sites and social networks, such as Twitter or Facebook, the "network" can be able to provide information and at the same time set up solidarity and self-help groups. D "on the other hand it is said that good information is the best medicine!
