The Coalition would like to collaborate with the FDA in its effort to monitor the sale of drugs over the Internet in the following ways:

Transcription

1 Internet Heathcare Coaition Coaborating with the FDA \ Initiative: Inspections--Internet CXmify Heaith information on the Net 5-J Presented by:.4pkiiw John Ma&, P 4 Director of Drug Information, Mediconsut jmack@mediconsut. corn President, Internet Heathcare Coaition John Mack President ihc-president@iheathcoaitjon.org The Internet Heathcare Coaition ( is an internationa, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to identifying and promoting credibe heath information and resources on the Internet. The Coaition s membership of over 500 individuas represents constituents in every sector of the Internet heathcare space wordwide, incuding consumers, providers of Internet heath information, government representatives, medica ibraries, academic institutions and other accredited educationa providers, specia-interest societies, patient advocacy and support groups and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. The Coaition is focused on educating heathcare consumers and professionas about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath information. As part of it s ongoing educationa campaign, the Coaition has deveoped Tips For Heath Consumers: Finding Quaity Heath Information on the Internet (see httu:// as we as an eheath Code of Ethics (see Our tips have appeared in major nationa newspapers ike the Wa Street Journa ( Caing on Doctors in Cyberspace (Bring Your Own Magazines), Mariyn Chase, August 23, 1999), in books ike The Compete Idiot s Guide to Qnine Medica Resources (Joan Price, QUE, 2000), and have been featured in an Eckerd Every Day pubic service announcement. The Coaition woud ike to coaborate with the FDA in its effort to monitor the sae of drugs over the Internet in the foowing ways: Deveop Tips For Heath Consumers: Purchasing Drugs and Medica Suppies on the Internet, which woud be patterned after our Tips for finding quaity heath information on the Net and woud aso be based upon our eheath Code of Ethics and produced in coaboration with the FDA. Work with the FDA through our officia iaison - Meissa Moncavage (or another designated iaison) -- to coordinate educationa campaigns. For exampe, every year the Coaition hosts the conference Quaity Heath Information on the Net and this year s theme is Estabishing Trust, Ensuring Privacy, Enabing E- Commerce. We can have a session devoted to prescription drug sites and invite an FDA speaker to present. Deveop a portion of our web site that wi aow consumers and Coaition members to report sites suspected of seing drugs or medica suppies iegay or

2 Presented by: John Mack 35 5& 46+ Director of Drug hiformation, Mediconsut FDA Stakehoders Meeting * Duke University * Apri 12,200Q RE: -fmtiatne #I: Safety wview ibr new products--safety Assurance in Ciniki Triais The wimne of ciica trias has grown dramaticay over the past decade, due to expanding deveopment of new medica products. In additioq cinica trias are more often performed at mutipe study sites, incuding muticam&y studies. Extensive oversight by FDA is not feasime in an era of sign&anty scaed-back tied s&f&g. FDA sees a growing need to coaborate with outside organizations in managing the research, cefnpianceand~tioaaaspectsofc(inicahwestig~thosespoasoredby~ industry, other government agencies and other private institutions/corporations. Mediconsut is the eading Internet provider of heathcare soutions, interactive toos, and onine cinica discussions for physicians and patients. Founded in 1996, the company s mission is to ixqnovepatient outcomes&rough infiation and toos ti educate doctors, empower patients and buid on the doctor/patient reationship. Mediconsut has the first and most active community of onine physicians-with 214,000 authenticated US physicians registered on its Physic&& service. Its physician and patient sites ConsistentIy ead &onine heath industry in stickiness --each month, doctors andpatients spend over two miion hours on Mediconsut sites. The company s business mode is based on working with pharmaceutica companies to deiver integrated onine marketing soutions that everage their deep cinica CXpertiSe. M~~tke~brecruitpatigntsfotphasem~praseNcinicatriasANDto hep cinicians foowup with these patients via the Internet. We propose that Mediconsut use the Internet and it s network of physician and patient sites to aggressivey monitor post-aunch data from both patients and treating cinicians on side-effect and safety issues. This wi aow the gathering of immediate, robust s&ty information on a aspects of drug use, incuding drug-drug interactions, non-standard dosing associated risks and previausiy unidentified side-effects. fa turn, it is essentia that the FDA recognize the egitimacy of pharma companies sponsoring postrxsa&&ng paid research to physicians. that inchxes a subs&&a enough number of physicians to capture a broad swath of the actua cinica use of medication.,

3 fntemet Hea;ithcaEre CoaZftim Coaborating with the FDA Initiative: Inspections--Internet Presented by: John Mack Director of Drug Information, Mediconsut jmackii??~ediconsut.com President, Internet Heaithcare Coaition The Internet He&&care Coaition ( is ~2 internationa!., non-pro&, nonpartisan organization dedicated to identifying and promoting credibe heath information and ~~8n~krternerS.~ec~~ smemtrershipofwer500~~~ constituents in every sector of the Internet heathcare space wordwide, incuding consume& providers of Internet heath inform&ou, government r?zpresentatives, me&a ibraries, academic institutions and other accredited educationa providers, specia-interest societies, patient advocacy and support groups and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. The Coaition is focused on educating heathcare consumers and professionas about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath information. As part of it s ongoing educationa campaign, the Co&ion has deve!oped Tips For Heath Consurmers: Finding Quaity Heath Information on the Internet (see htta:// as w&f as an ehe&th Code of Ebrics (see hc. Our tips have appeared in major nationa ~jke~w~~~~(l ~~DOCt(LFSitGY~~~~~ Magazines), Mariyn Chase, August 23, 1999), in books ike The Compete Idiot s Guide to Onhe Medica Resources (Joan Price, QUE, 2000), and have been featured in an Eckerd Every Day pubic service announcement. The Coaition woud ike to coaborate with the FDA & its effort to monitm tie sate of drugs over the Internet in the foowing ways: Devvdq Tips For Heath Consumers: Pwchas&g Dmgs and MedicA Sq@es on the Internet, which woud be patterned after our Tips for finding quaity heath +rr&mtiori m the Netarid3vouid aso m Lmed npm oy &et&h Code of Etics zrnd produced in coaboration with the FDA. Work with the FDA through our &ficia iaison - Me&a Moncavage (or another designated iaison) -- to coordinate educationa campaigns. For exampe, every year the Coaition hosts the conference Quaity Heath Information on the Net and this year s theme is Estabishing Trust, Ensuring Privacy, Enabing E-Commerce, We can have a session devoted to prescription drug sites and invite an FDA speaker to present. Deveop a portion of our web site that wi aow consumers and Coaition members to report sites suspected of seing drugs or medica suppies iegay or unethicay on the Internet for provide a gateway to an FDA site with the same function). Keep our members informed about FDA actions in this area via our emai newsetter.

4 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information Contact: Coaition contacts: Hega Rippen Co-Chair eheath Ethics Summit Internet Heathcare Coaition (310) Ahmad Risk Co-Chair eheath Ethics Summit Internet Heathcare Coaition Media contact: Jason Schossberg Middeberg + Associates (212) jason@niddeberg.com e-heath Ethics Summit Offers Word Internationa Code of Ethics For The Heath Internet --Pubic Comment and Review Process To Begin Immediatey- WASJBNGTON, D.C., February 18,200O - The first drafi of the Internet Heathcare Coaition endorsed Internationa e-heath Code of Ethics was unveied today and can be fuy accessed with additiona notes and definitions via the Coaition s Web site at: httn:iwww.iheathcoaition.org communityethics.htm. This draft Code represents both the insights and refections of the e-heath Ethics Summit which convened in Washington, DC. 31 January - 2 February The draft in its present form has not yet been formay endorsed by the e-heath Ethics Summit. Forma endorsement wi take pace after an eight-week period of pubic comment and consutation. Foowing this period, the draft wi be revised for fina pubication on or about 15 May Never before have we witnessed such broad consensus on such an important topic, said e-heath Ethics Summit Co-Chair Hega Rippen, MD, PhD, MPH. Through a democratic process we have offered the word a truy internationa1, iving Code of e-heath Ethics, said e-heath Ethics Summit Co-Chair Ahmad Risk, MD. --more--

5 e-heath Ethics Summit Unveis Draw Code of Ethics-Page 2 Continued review and pubic consutation wi ony make it stronger and more widey accepted. The e-heath Ethics Summit Steering Group oversaw the work of The Hastings Center, an independent, non-profit research institute that addresses ethica issues in medicine and the ife sciences, which has reviewed, organized and edited the minutes of the working Summit to deveop the current draft Code. Whie deveoping the draft, both the Steering Group and The Hastings Center preserved the origina anguage of the working Summit. This draft Code was created with the input from a key Internet Heath constituencies incuding consumers and patients, heathcare professionas, ethicists, dot-corn entities, academicians, specia-interest societies, manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices, governmenta agencies, and internationa representatives. The Internationa e-heath Code of Ethics: Vision Statement: The Internet is changing how peope receive heath information and heath care. A who use the Internet for heath-reated purposes must join together to create an environment of trusted reationships to assure high quaity information and services, protect privacy, and enhance the vaue of the Internet for both consumers and providers of heath information, products, and services. The goa of the e-heath Code of Ethics is to ensure that a peope wordwide can confidenty, and without risk, reaize the fu benefits of the Internet to improve their heath. hroduction: Heath information has the potentia both to improve heath and to do harm. A peope who use the Internet for heath-reated purposes must be abe to trust that the sites they visit adhere to, the highest ethica standards and that the information provided is credibe. Because heath and heath care are criticay important to peope, the organizations and individuas that provide heath information on the Internet have specia, strong obigations to be trustworthy, provide high quaity content, protect users privacy, and adhere to standards of best practices for onine commerce and onine professiona services in heath care. --tnore--

6 e-heath Ethics Summit Unveis Draft Code of Ethics-Page 3 Guiding Principes 1. Candor & Trustworthiness Guiding Principe: Organizations and individuas providing heath information, products, or services on the Internet have an obigation to candidy discose (A) Those factors that coud infuence content (B) The potentia risks of providing persona information on the Internet 2. Quaity Guiding Principe: Organizations and individuas offering heath information, products, or services on the Internet have an obigation to (A) Provide high quaity information, products, or services (B) Provide means for users to evauate the quaity of heath information 3. Informed Consent, Privacy & Confidentiaity Guiding Principie: Organizations and individuas providing heath information, products, or services on the Internet have an obigation to (A) Safeguard users privacy (B) Obtain users informed consent when gathering persona information 4. Best Commercia Practices Guiding Principe: Organizations and individuas who sponsor, promote, or se heath information, products, or services on the Internet have an obigation to Discose any information a reasonabe person woud beieve might infuence his or her decision to purchase or use products or services Be truthfu and not deceptive Engage in responsibe business reationships and affiiations Guarantee editoria independence Discose the site s privacy poicy and terms of use --more--

7 e-heath Ethics Summit Unveis Draf Code of Ethics-Page 4 n 5. Best Practices for Provision of Heath Care on the Internet by Heath Care Professionas Gw*dhg Principe: Heath care professionas and organizations who provide heath information, products, or services on the Internet have an obigation to (A) Adhere to the highest standards of professiona Hep patients to understand how the Internet affects the reationship between professiona and patient whie adapting the highest professiona standards to the evoving interactions made possibe by the Internet Comments about the Code are wecome via the Internet Coaition s Web site, About the Internet Heathcare Coaition The Internet Heathcare Coaition, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, is dedicated to identifying and promoting quaity heathcare resources on the Internet. Founded in 1997 and based in Washington, DC., the Coaition s membership represents every sector of the Internet heath space, incuding consumers, commercia deveopers of heath information, medica ibraries, specia-interest societies, and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. The goa of the Coaition is to educate heathcare consumers and professionas about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath resources and information. In October 1999, responding to cas from within the Internet heath community, the Coaition Iaunched its ongoing eheath Ethics Initiative to provide a forum for the deveopment of a universa set of ethica principes for heath-reated Web sites. More information regarding the Internet Heathcare Coaition and its eheath Ethics Initiative can be found on the Web at ###

8 Corporate Contact: Media Contact: John Mack Jason Schossberg Internet Heathcare Coaition Middeberg + Associates ihc-president@iheathcoaiition.org jason@middeberg.com Internet Heathcare Coaition To Host e-heath Ethics Summit Responding to Industry-wide Ca to Arms, Non-Partisan Coaition of Internet Heathcare Thought-Leaders Convene To Estabish Guiding Principes WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 27, The Internet Heathcare Coaition, a non-profit organization dedicated to quaity heathcare information on the Internet, today announced it wi host a high-eve working summit in Washington D.C., on February -2, 2000, to forge a set of ethica principes for heath-reated Web sites. The announcement was made in response to growing demand from users of the medica Internet for reiabe heathcare information, increasing media attention to this issue and a number of cas to action by industry eaders. In the most recent exampe, George Lundberg, M.D., editor-in-chief of Medscape, said in a keynote address to the Coaition s annua meeting on Wednesday, October 13, 1999: The essence of professionaism is sef-governance. Just as the Internationa Committee of Medica Journa Editors, founded in 1978, has set the standards for how medica journa authors and editors shoud behave, the eaders of the e-heath information enterprise shoud now set common standards for ethica behavior. Lundberg, former editor-in-chief of the Journa of the American Medica Association, then threw down the foowing chaenge: I ca upon the Internet Heathcare Coaition to now set internationa standards that can become commony accepted. The Coaition s e-heath Ethics Summit wi examine topics such as advertising practices, sponsored content, privacy and discaimers. The summit aims to deveop principes through the consensus of industry, academic, government and patient eaders, and wi post its work on the Internet to aow for greater participation of the Internet heath community. Ethica conduct does not happen by accident, said Dr. Hega Rippen, chair of the Internet Heathcare Coaition. It requires eadership, vision, and integrity. The IHC is ideay suited to ead the debate as one of the most diverse and experienced independent, internationa organizations invoved in quaity information onine. Invitees wi incude a the key stakehoders in the heathcare Internet space, incuding academic speciaists in the fieds of ethics and pubic heath poicy, commercia deveopers and providers of Internet-based heath-reated education and information services, medica ibraries and database providers, medica speciaty and specia-interest societies, and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. (more)

9 .A.*? We fee extremey confident that before the end of 2000, we wi have a set of principes that can hep guide the heath Internet community, said Rippen. About the Internet Heathcare Coaition The Coaition is an internationa, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and promoting quaity heathcare resources on the Internet. Founded in 1997 and based in Washington, D.C., the Coaition s membership represents every sector of the Internet heath space, incuding consumers, commercia deveopers of heath information, medica ibraries, specia-interest societies, and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. The goa of the Coaition is to educate heathcare consumers and professionas about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath resources and information. In October 1999, responding to cas from within the Internet heath community, the Coaition aunched its ongoing eheath Ethics Initiative to provide a forum for the deveopment of a universa set of ethica principes for heath-reated Web sites. More information regarding the Internet Heathcare Coaition can be found on the Web at ###

10 Corporate Contact: Media Contact: John Mack Kimbery Hofman Internet Heathcare Coaition Middeberg + Associates jmack@mediconsut.com kim@middeberg.com THE INTERNET HEALTHCARE COALITION HOSTS QUALITY OF HEALTH INFORMATION ON THE NET 99 IN NEW YORK CITY Non-Partisan Conference of Heathcare Thought Leaders Convene to Improve Onine Information NEW YORK, Oct. 13, The Internet Heathcare Coaition hosts its second annua conference, Quaity Heath Information on the Net 99, today at the Grand Hyatt Hote in New York City. Entited Heath Care Professionas and Consumers Onine: Fixing the Broken Link, the conference wi address the current state of Internet heath information, onine patient/physician communication and the future of Internet heathcare. Coaition conference keynote speakers incude George D. Lundberg, MD, editor in chief of Medscape and former editor of the Journa of the American Medica Association, and Tom Ferguson, M.D., editor and pubisher of The Ferguson Report. Pane and roundtabe discussions wi address the quaity of heathcare information onine, incuding targeted topics such as medica record privacy and security, pharmaceutica company marketing and onine fraud. This conference provides a unique forum for the heathcare community and patients aike to debate the pros and cons of the current Internet heathcare environment, commented John Mack, president of the Internet Heathcare Coaition. The conference brings together key thought eaders from the heathcare industry, incuding onine heathcare representatives, professiona and patient organizations and government representatives to exchange views about heathcare and the Internet. The goa of the meeting is to guide the future of physician-patient use of the Internet to improve the quaity of care. Limiting consumer access to medica, heath and drug information on the Internet is not practica, Mack said. Instead, we re aiming to educate both consumers and heath professionas to recognize and demand high-quaity resources and information on the Internet, and therefore, improve heath care. (more)

11 b The conference, sponsored in part by Inte, foows Inte s Internet Heath Day on October 12. Together, the two conferences are providing attendees with a comprehensive review of Internet heathcare and ways to utiize and improve the quaity of these resources. About the Internet Heathcare Coaition The Coaition is an internationa, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to identifying and promoting quaity heathcare resources on the Internet. Founded in 1997 and based in Washington, D.C., the Coaition s membership represents every sector of the Internet heath space, incuding consumers, commercia deveopers of heath information, medica ibraries, specia-interest societies, and manufacturers of reguated drugs and medica devices. The goa of the Coaition is to educate heathcare consumers and professionas about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath resources and information. In October 1999, responding to cas from within the Internet heath community, the Coaition aunched its ongoing eheath Ethics Initiative to provide a forum for the deveopment of a universa set of ethica principes for heath-reated Web sites. More information regarding the Internet Heathcare Coaition can be found on the Web at ##I#

12 ~~~~~ Internet Heatthcare Coaition s Annua Conference Quaity Heathcare Information on the Net 2000: Estabishing Trust, Ensuring Privacy, Enabing E-Commerce October 3-4,2000 Las Vegas Hiton Las Vegas, NV HOLD THE DATE! The annua Fa meeting of the Internet Heathcare Coaition wi be hed concurrenty with Windows on Heathcare This 2-day meeting wi incude: Speaker presentations Pane discussions Networking opportunities, and Exhibitors Noted keynote speakers and other experts in the fied of ethics, privacy, and e-commerce in the onine heath area wi be featured. Mutipe conference tracks ti focus on the Coaition s eheath Code of Ethics, heath fraud on the Internet, privacy and confidentiaity, heath information iteracy, and other topics. Who Shoud Attend Approximatey 600 to 800 peope are expected to attend this third annua conference of the Internet Heathcare Coaition. Attendees are expected from onine heath and e-commerce web sites, pharmaceutica companies, hospitas, patient organizations and advocates, ibraries, pubishers, heatbcare systems and pans, and government organizations. Sponsors and Exhbitors Sponsorship opportunities incude networking receptions, uncheons, registration materias, conference book, etc. Aso, there wi be a specia e-heath.com Showcase with pods set up with convenient high-speed Internet connections and standard signage. This showcase wi be open to 2500 Windows on Heathcare 2000 attendees as we as IHC conference attendees. For more information, ca John Mack at About the Internet Heathcare Coaition The Internet Heathcare Coaition is an internationa, non-partisan and non-profit educationa organization, dedicated to the deveopment and promotion of ethica principes reevant to the fast expanding area of onine, interactive heathcare communications. For More Information Visit our web site at ~ZPM~~.iheathcoaition.org or ca John Mack at (FAX: ) or emai ihc-president.@,iheathcoaition.org.

13 The Internet Heathcare Coaition Backgrounder As individuas take a arger roe in managing their own heathcare, more consumers are independenty seeking out heath information via the Internet. Heath professionas are aso turning to the Internet to keep informed and interact with their patients. Given the vast amount of heathcare data avaiabe on the Internet, the Internet Heathcare Coaition was created to promote quaity heath resources onine and to ensure that consumers and professionas are abe to find reiabe, trustworthy heath information onine. The Coaition is an internationa, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting quaity heathcare resources on the Internet. Founded in 1997, the Coaition s membership represents every sector of the Internet heath space, incuding consumers, patient advocates, commercia deveopers of heath information, heath professionas, medica ibrarians, government officias and pharmaceutica manufacturers. The goa of the Coaition is to educate heathcare consumers, heath professionas and others about the evoving issues reating to the quaity of Internet heath resources and information. The Coaition consuts with various government agencies, incuding the Word Heath Organization, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federa Trade Commission on broaderbased efforts to promote credibe heathcare information and combat heath fraud onine. In addition to acting as a consutant, the Coaition has taken the initiative to gather parties with a vested interest in an open forum to discuss onine heathcare resources. The Coaition hods an annua conference in October for key thought eaders in the heathcare industry and government representatives to exchange their thoughts and opinions about the probems associated with and soutions to heathcare and the Internet. In October 1999, responding to cas from within the Internet heath community, the Coaition aunched its ongoing eheath Ethics Initiative to provide a forum for the deveopment of a universa set of ethica principes for heath-reated Web sites. The Coaition can be found at ###

14 Internet Heathcare Coaition Membership Appication Form Use the form beow to appy for membership. One-year membership is $50. Organizations may be members, but each individua representing the organization as a member must fi out an appication and pay $50. Members who suppy their e-mai addresses wi be subscribed to the IHC-NEWS e-mai ist through which they wi receive information about Coaition events. At most, 2 or 3 e-mai messages - incuding our newsetter - are posted to this ist each month. if paying by check, make sure check is drawn against a U.S. bank and is payabe to Internet Eeakhcare Coaition. Mai the competed form and check to Pentz Group, 57 Macintosh Road, Levittown, PA 19056, USA. If you are paying by Mastercard or VISA, you may FAX the competed form to or send by mai to the above address. The Internet Heathcare Coaition is a tax-exempt organization and your donation (or membership fee) may be taxdeductibe. Our EIN number is Name: First Name me: Company/Organization: Last Name Street Address: State/Province: Country: Posta Code: Phane (incude area code) FAX (incude area code) E-mai Address: CHECK HERE IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS GIVEN TO SPONSORS WHO MAY SEND YOU PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL. - Check encosed for $50 payabe to Internet Heathcare Coaition drawn against U.S. bank. If you prefer to pay by credit card (Mastercard or VISA), pease provide the foowing information: Amount $ - Mastercard - VISA Card # Exp. Date: Name on card: Signature:

15 Finding Quaity Heath Information on the Internet -Tips For Heath Consumers- According to a recent Harris Po, more than 70 miion peope ogged on to the Internet in search of heathcare information in This number is expected to grow significanty as more peope gain access to the Internet. With more than 20,000 Web sites dedicated to neary every conceivabe heath subject, you must ask how reiabe is the information? Since 1997, the Internet Heathcare Coaition has been working to provide cear guidance for evauating onine sources of heath information - from product- or disease-reated sites deveoped by reguated manufacturers, to peer-reviewed eectronic pubications, to patient support and discussion groups. The Coaition s goa is to deveop we-informed Internet heathcare consumers, professionas, educators, marketers and media. The Internet Heathcare Coaition offers the foowing tips in evauating the reiabiity of onine heath information and advice: 1. Choosing an onine heath information resource is ike choosing your doctor. You woudn t go to just any doctor, and you may get opinions from severa doctors. Therefore, you shoudn t rey on just any one Internet site for a your heath needs. A good rue of thumb is to find a Web site that has a person, institution or organization in which you aready have confidence. If possibe, you shoud seek information from severa sources and not rey on a singe source of information. 2. Trust what you see or read on the Internet ony if you can vaidate the source of the information. Authors and contributors shoud aways be identified, aong with their affiiations and financia interests, if any, in the content. Phone numbers, e-mai addresses or other contact information shoud aso be provided. 3. Question Web sites that credit themseves as the soe source of information on a topic, as we as sites that disrespect other sources of knowedge. 4. Don t be fooed by a comprehensive ist of inks. Any Web site can ink to another and this in no way impies endorsement from the either site. 5. Find out if the site is professionay managed and reviewed by an editoria board of experts to ensure that the materia is both credibe and reiabe. Sources used to create the content shoud be ceary referenced and acknowedged. 6. Medica knowedge is continuay evoving. Make sure that a cinica content incudes the date of pubication or modification.

16 Any and a sponsorship, advertising, underwriting, commercia funding arrangements or potentia conficts shoud be ceary stated and separated from the editoria content. A good question to ask is: Does the author or authors have anything to gain from proposing one particuar point of view over another? Avoid any onine physicim who proposes to diagnose or treat you without a proper physica examination and consutation regarding your medica history. Read the Web site s privacy statement and make certain that any persona medica or other information you suppy wi be kept absoutey confidentia. 10. Most importanty, use your common sense! Shop around, aways get more than one opinion, be suspicious of mirace cures, and aways read the fine print. Internet Heathcare Coaition Quaity Heathcare Resources on the Internet PO Box 286 Newtown, PA I , Internet Heathcare Coaition