Good morning and Happy Saturday! Congratulate me--I found an apartment in New York City! It's about the size of a shoebox, but it's home. Or it will be, as soon as I get my stuff packed up and carted over there. I'll be on the Upper West Side, shouting distance from the Fairway Market, if anyone wants to come say hello.
Now, I believe I promised some advice on finding useful web sites for medical information. As you probably know, one problem with the internet is that anyone can post a web site and call himself an expert. A "medical society" with a fancy name might be a group of highly-respected, board-certified doctors... or it might be one person with an axe to grind.
That's not to say that sites started by laypeople are necessarily bad. For example, there are some very smart, conscientious moms out there who've lost kids to cancer or other diseases, and want to help other parents who are going through the same thing. Unfortunately, there are also people and groups spreading erroneous information. Sometimes these folks really believe in what they're saying, even though it's bad science. Sometimes they have something to sell.
Sites run by doctors aren't always that much better. Outdated information is a common problem: medical knowledge changes
fast. Some of the sites hire journalists to write their articles, and misinterpretations can creep in. And physicians aren't above making sales pitches, either: some docs make extra money by selling vitamins, medical devices, and other products. There isn't always good research to back these things up.
So how can you tell if a web site's giving you good info?
1. Who's behind the site? Click on the "about us" link and give it a good read. If it's a one-person site, what's that person's background? If it's a group, how does one become a member? For doctors' organizations, does the group certify doctors in a specialty?
2. Is the site selling something? Sometimes it will be obvious: ads for products will be prominently displayed. Sometimes it's more subtle. There are several sites run by plastic surgeons that offer information about cosmetic surgery--but the point is really to sell you on the idea of having something done, not to give you full details. Be wary, too, of "keyword" sites that exist just to get you to click on ads. Some of these sites pay their writers only a few dollars per article, and accuracy tends to suffer.
3. If it's a sales site, are there superlative descriptions or exaggerated claims? If a site tells you that a treatment works for
everyone, be suspicious. Look out for words like "incredible," "amazing," and "secret ingredient." Real doctors rarely keep secrets about ingredients that could help people!
4. If it's a purely informational site, where does the information come from? The best medical sites give their sources. Look for a bibliography at the end of each article, or references to studies within the article itself. Quotes from experts are of mixed value. Again, you really need to know where the original information came from. Medical journals, which are reviewed by teams of physicians, are generally considered good sources. Research institutions like the Mayo Clinic are also considered trustworthy.
5. What's the tone of the site? If it's angry or suspicious--"Doctors won't tell you..."--be especially wary. Doctors certainly do make mistakes, and there are plenty of things we could do better. But I've read quite a few of these "angry" sites, and I fear that emotion often clouds people's judgement. The information is frequently based on hearsay and misunderstandings, not on fact.
6. How often is the site updated? Some information is probably ok even if it's old; measles, for example, hasn't changed much over the years. But last year's web page about infertility treatments might already be outdated. A good medical site will keep up with the newest drugs, latest recalls, and most recent discoveries.
Sometimes, the only way to know for sure that a medical site is giving you good information is to have an idea about what's true in the first place. Going to medical school is a good start! Of course, if you don't have four years to spare, you can always drop me a line. I'll be glad to help.
p.s. A doctor named Stephen Barrett maintains a watchdog site called
Quackwatch. It's a good place to visit to get an idea of how much questionable medical information is out there. The site is updated only sporadically and Dr. Barrett certainly has his own agenda, but he does a good job of debunking myths and raises red flags about some questionable organizations.
Next time: Medical Urban Legends
