Although some information does not need to be updated daily or even monthly, if the site carries last year's date, it probably hasn't been reviewed recently. There are many developments in cancer care and treatment and it is important to be reviewing the latest and most accurate information. Advertising does not mean that a site carries bad information. Web sites are expensive to produce and even more costly to maintain. Sponsors should be easily identified and advertising should be clearly labeled.
Most pharmaceutical companies are very interested in patient education.
Sites that promote only one way to treat a condition and then sell that treatment should be suspect. Technical support . Whether called a Webmaster, Web diva, or Web guide, someone should be available by e-mail to address problems with the site. On patient-oriented sites, a glossary of terms should be incorporated into the information. Often terms are highlighted in the text with links from terms to their definitions.