Medical Products and the Internet: A Guide to Finding Reliable Information - Regulatory Support Series No. 008: INTRODUCTION

Medical Products and the Internet: A Guide to Finding Reliable Information - Regulatory Support Series No. 008
(1999; 8 pages)

Table of Contents

	INTRODUCTION
	SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS
	POINT I: THE INTERNET IS A VALUABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION, BUT BE SURE YOU KNOW AND TRUST THE SOURCE
	POINT II: FINDING RELIABLE HEALTH AND MEDICAL INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET
	POINT III: FINDING RELIABLE MEDICAL PRODUCT INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET
	POINT IV. BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT BUYING MEDICAL PRODUCTS ON THE INTERNET
	POINT V: SEE YOUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO TREAT YOURSELF OR CHANGE YOUR MEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

The Fifty-first World Health Assembly (Resolution WHA51.9, May 1998) requested the Director-General of WHO to develop a guide on medical products and the Internet. The guide was intended to serve as a model for Member States to adapt into locally meaningful advice for Internet users in order to help them to obtain reliable, independent and comparable information on medicinal products. The guide in this booklet has been prepared to meet the Health Assembly request. It has been developed in consultation with drug regulatory authorities, drug information experts, consumer organizations, and the pharmaceutical industry. It is a model guide, designed to be translated into national languages and modified as the local situation may require.

WHO would be grateful to receive any comments on experience gained from the practical use of the guide which would help in developing it further. Contact information appears below.

Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy (EDM)
World Health Organization
1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
email: reggiv@who.int

Finally, national health authorities - such as drug regulatory agencies - and WHO are working together to address the illegal advertising and sale of medical products through the Internet. It is important that Internet users report suspected illegal activities and problem cases to their national health authorities.