The World Health Organization is setting up a pilot program in India that will connect physicians, policymakers and even consumers with information about medical treatments and public-health initiatives. But they didn't know what was going on in the next community.
Many physicians fear being overwhelmed by patient e-mails.
Others argue that it's unethical, possibly even dangerous, to treat someone you've never met in person. And there are regulatory issues. For Carlin, however, there is no going back. Six months into the trip Laura contracted a massive ear infection that, if left untreated, might have spread to her brain. The couple e-mailed Carlin and described the condition.