1. Internet Health Do’s, Don’ts and Tips

2. Do’s DO Look for the authors of the source or the original source of information; who wrote this and are they reputable? DO Find out who funds the site, look for.gov (government funded) or.edu (educational institutions). DO Find the website’s purpose by looking for key words like “About Us”.

3. Do’s DO Check the date of the information. It may be outdated. DO Find out who reviewed the material and what their medical credentials are. DO Visit the NIH website to find more information at http://ods.od.nih.gov. http://ods.od.nih.gov

4. Don’ts DON’T give your information to websites before knowing how your personal information will be used. DON’T use sites in which online shopping is not clearly separated from informational content.

5. Don’ts DON’T trust sites that ask to give you an online diagnosis. DON’T go against your instinct; if something seems wrong, it probably is. DON’T rely solely on online information; be sure to ask your physician questions as well.

6. Tips Information on websites maintained by governmental agencies, medical schools and organizations, and disease- specific non-profit organizations are usually trustworthy sources.

7. Trustworthy Websites Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov United States Department of Health and Human Services www.hhs.govwww.hhs.gov American Public Health Association www.apha.org www.apha.org National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov www.nih.gov American Cancer Society www.cancer.org www.cancer.org Not an exhaustive list of ALL trustworthy websites!