http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7337/567
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The European Commission is aiming to publish a code of good practice for health websites in June. This will contain a set of criteria for quality and is part of a wider programme to clarify the legal aspects of online information and promote best practice.
The importance of health related websites is underlined by Erkki Liikanen, the commissioner of the information society when he noted recently that "more internet users have sought medical information on the web than have shopped online, looked up stock quotes, or checked sports scores."
The commission emphasises that it is not trying to establish a central EU marking system for websites, even though some would like it to do so. It does not have the staff, finance, or, more importantly, the legal competence, to do this.
Instead, what it is trying to do is help member states by securing agreement
on several indicators of quality and by ensuring greater awareness of
the various schemes that already exist
codes
of conduct, labels of quality, and user guides. It will then be
up to national authorities to decide on the most appropriate way to
implement these.
Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, for example, favour codes of conduct, whereas France prefers a more rigorous system.
The commission sees the set of criteria being developed as having two functions. For designers, it will provide a list of realistic rules for them to bear in mind when constructing a site, and for users, it offers advice on what to look for when logging on.
The final result is likely to be an easily digestible one page summary of the key criteria backed by a 15 page explanatory paper. The core of the code of conduct will list six main features for health websites. Websites should include:
by
providing full details of the provider of the site, its objective (including
any commercial considerations), target audience, and sources of
funding
by
sourcing and dating all information displayed and providing full credentials
of individuals and institutions
with
the requirement for an opt-in of any personal data
by
regularly updating the site's contents
through
user feedback and a clear statement of editorial policy
with
attention to general searchability and usability.
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