Editorial How to be Secure and Get Accurate Medical Information from Internet

Internet has seeped into every corner of medicine. It is one of the most widely used unprecedented mediums of free expression. With the availability of Web server software, anyone can set up a Web site and publish any kind of data, which is then accessible to all. Internet ignores national and cultural boundaries and its technology is developing with bewildering speed. A single Web site can cover a vast array of unrelated subjects. Conventional print and audio-visual media leave a physical record, while net content is volatile: here today, gone tomorrow. For all these reasons and more, there is a need for a code of conduct to maintain the reliability of medical and health information available on the World Wide Web. The best solution to this at present is self-regulation. This article summarizes all related principles that can help in evaluating the reliability and credibility of the medical information available on Web. In health and medical issues, it is crucial that you obtain accurate information or, if you accept unauthenticated information, you do so with your eyes open. So it's worth your time learning a few guidelines in how to assess the "goodness " of the information you retrieve. The basic rules for evaluating information you find on the Internet are essentially the same as those for evaluatin