Most everyone has searched for health-related information online.1 But Internet advertising is both aggressive and pervasive, and health-related websites typically accept advertising or sell products. Unfortunately, this means they have an unavoidable conflict of interest in providing unbiased information.
Bob Graves, Co-Founder of Fundamentals of Health Alliance, has noted that, “Food and diets are very big business in America, which means that at least some of the information you come across is likely to have been distorted by its proximity to the influence of money.”
To help the public find trustworthy information online, The U.S. government has some advice.2 Some good questions to ask:
- Who wrote the information and are they credible?
- Is the information current?
- Does the site have a privacy policy?
- Is the information based on scientific research?
- Does the site promise miracle cures or solutions?
- Who owns the website and what is its purpose?
- Does the organization receive compensation for links to products and services?
Any of the answers can raise red flags, or at least lead to a more objective evaluation of the information presented.
Choosing which websites to trust is an important step in gathering reliable health information.
