**From Snake Oil to Penicillin:**

**Evaluating Consumer Health Information on the Internet**

Class 2 Handout

**Problem:**

Content on the Internet is unregulated, and therefore, **anyone** can
publish **anything** on the Internet. There is sound medical information
on the Internet along with dangerous information. You need to be able to
tell the difference!

Ask yourself the following:

-   Why did the person create the page?

-   What's in it for them?

-   Are they trying to sell me something?

Criteria for evaluating information from the web:

**Accuracy**

-   Is the information based on sound medical research? Can the
    information on the web page be verified by another source?

-   Are the sources cited reliable?

-   Are there grammatical and spelling errors?

-   Are there footnotes, bibliographies, or references so that you can
    verify the information? Are these reliable? (a citation to *Parade*
    magazine does not have the same weight as an article from *JAMA*)

**Examples:**

Male Pregnancy:

> [www.malepregnancy.com](http://www.malepregnancy.com/)

Aitkin, MN

[www.aitkin.com](http://www.aitkin.com/)

New Hartford, MN

<http://www.lme.mnsu.edu/newhartford/newhtfd.html>

**Authority**

-   Who published the page? What are the person's credentials? What do
    you know about them?

-   Is the person backed by a known organization? (the American
    Association for Cancer Therapy may be a made-up name for something
    operating out of someone's basement.)

-   Is the person affiliated with a university? If so, is the person a
    student or a faculty member?

-   Can you easily find contact information on the web page? Check the
    "about us" link, usually found at the beginning or the end of a
    webpage

-   What is the domain name? (.edu, .gov ) Is it a personal page or
    supported by the organization? (compare
    med.harvard.edu/\~jsmith/headache to
    med.harvard.edu/neurology/headache)

**Examples:**

> Facts about Tourette Syndrome
>
> <http://members.tripod.com/~tourette13/>
>
> CureZone.com:

<http://www.curezone.com/diseases/default.asp>

**Bias/Objectivity**

-   Is the information showing just one point of view?

-   What kind of institution sponsored the webpage? A pharmaceutical
    company? A non-profit organization?

-   Is advertising clearly marked?

-   Can you tell if the information you are reading is advertisement?

-   Do the graphics, fonts, and verbiage play to the emotions? Beware of
    CAPITAL LETTERS, EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!! Or words like "MIRACLE
    CURE!!!"

-   Is the author using data improperly to promote a position or a
    product?

**Examples:**

> Toilet Training: Signs of Readiness:
>
> [www.pampers.com/](http://www.pampers.com/) (search "readiness")
>
> DHMO - The Truth:
>
> [http://www.dhmo.org](http://www.dhmo.org/truth/Dihydrogen-Monoxide.html)
> (click on "truth")

**Currency/Timeliness**

-   Is there a date on the page?

-   When was the page last updated

-   Do the links work?

-   Has there been more recent research on the subject? Many medical
    treatments change with the publication of new studies. What was
    published a year ago may be outdated now.

**Example:**

Hormone Replacement Therapy

[www.plsgroup.com/dg950925.htm](http://www.plsgroup.com/dg950925.htm)

**Coverage**

-   Is the information complete?

-   Are there sources given for additional information?

**Example:**

> The Doctors' Medical Library:
>
> [http://medical-library.net](http://medical-library.net/)

**Additional Resources:**

Quackwatch

[www.quackwatch.com](http://www.quackwatch.com/)

Medlineplus

[www.medlineplus.gov](http://www.medlineplus.gov/) (health topic: health
fraud)