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BMJ 2002;324:567 ( 9 March )

News

European Commission to publish a code of practice for websites

Rory Watson, Brussels

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 existcodes 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:

• Transparency and honestyby providing full details of the provider of the site, its objective (including any commercial considerations), target audience, and sources of funding

   

• Authorityby sourcing and dating all information displayed and providing full credentials of individuals and institutions

   

• Privacy and confidentialitywith the requirement for an opt-in of any personal data

   

• Currencyby regularly updating the site's contents

   

• Accountabilitythrough user feedback and a clear statement of editorial policy

   

• Accessibilitywith attention to general searchability and usability.
   

   

© BMJ 2002
 

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EDITOR'S CHOICE
The invention of talk.

BMJ 2002 324: 0. [Full text]  

 

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