Ethics Topics: Health Advice


All over the Internet health advice is being dispensed on all manner of sites--blogs, news sites, organization sites, social networks, and so forth. Some of the advice is offered by doctors, but much of it is doled out by people with no medical training whatsoever. Still other advice, such as on herbs and other alternative medicines, the people talking about it have non-traditional medical training. They didn't go to medical school in other words, but they studied their subject somewhere somehow.

The advice ranges from dieting tips to cancer treatments. Search any medical topic, and you'll likely find loads of tips, treatments, and opinions.

Medical applications new exist for phones as well. The website Mashable reported this week that a man claimed his iPhone saved his life in the Haiti earthquake due to a medical application and the GPS that guided him to safety.

The more we search the more we can probably find both good and bad examples of people following health advice through digital means. What are the ethics of giving health advice online?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I believe that digital or not anyone offering medical advice should be acting out of kindness and knowledge. However, I believe that 'buyer beware' should also apply. We have responsibilities as patients to use our good sense when taking any sort of advice from anyone, to always get second opinions, and to always consider the motives of others (are they selling something?).

Anonymous said...

Hello,
A doctor or other health care professional is the best source for an advice to a health question. They have the training and knowledge necessary to provide an answer. The answer a person gets from a health care professional can be trusted.
Medical Equipment

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