The European Commission has adopted a set of "quality criteria"
for health-related web sites, encouraging Member States to adopt
assurance measures for the health-related internet. According to
the Commission, EU nationals access more than 100,000 health web
sites.
The criteria are contained in a formal Communication which was drafted, the Commission said, through a workshop with the participation of 60 government and industry representatives, as well as via an on-line public consultation.
It outlines six criteria – transparency and honesty, authority, privacy and data protection, updating of information, accountability and accessibility.
The criteria aim to address issues of both supplier and user education, telling suppliers how to comply with the requirements and educate users as to what they ought to expect from a good health web site. The criteria apply to both passive information sites as well as to sites that allow transactions.
Consumers International, a federation of over 250 consumer organisations in 115 countries, recently advised consumers to use "extreme caution" when visiting health sites, claiming that the information provided by such sites is often inaccurate and can be misleading.
More information is available from:
europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/ehealth/index_en.htm
