The following is a set of guidelines published by Judy Foreman from The Boston Globe 10/13/97 for people looking for medical information on the World Wide Web. If your clients want to surf the web, warn them that they may get wet.

1. Look for the author and the organization publishing the information.

2. Make sure the group providing the information does not have a conflict of interest.

3. Check the date the information was posted.

4. Keep in mind that anecdotal information can be emotionally powerful, but it only tells you about one person’s experience.

5. Make sure the studies quoted are scientifically sound. Was the study double blind, how many subjects were involved?

6. If you spot an improper drug claim, tell the FDA (http://www.FDA.gov).

7. Don’t trust the sites that claim easy treatments or miraculous cures. Tell the Center for Science in the Public Interest about it.