The HONcode is the most widely accepted reference for online health and medical publishers. Currently the HONcode is used by over 7,300 certified websites, more than 10 million pages, covering 102 countries. The HON web site https://www.healthonnet.org/ is visited by 27,000 visitors world-wide per day.
1. Authoritative
Indicate the qualifications of the authors.
Any medical or health advice provided and hosted on this site will only be given by medically trained and qualified professionals unless a clear statement is made that a piece of advice offered is from a non-medically qualified individual or organisation.
2. Complementarity
Information should support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.
The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician.
3. Privacy
Respect the privacy and confidentiality of personal data submitted to the site by the visitor
Confidentiality of data relating to individual patients and visitors to a medical/health Web site, including their identity, is respected by this Web site. The Web site owners undertake to honour or exceed the legal requirements of medical/health information privacy that apply in the country and state where the Web site and mirror sites are located.
4. Attribution
Cite the source(s) of published information, date medical and health pages
Where appropriate, information contained on this site will be supported by clear references to source data and, where possible, have specific HTML links to that data. The date when a clinical page was last modified will be clearly displayed (e.g. at the bottom of the page).
5. Justifiability
Site must back up claims relating to benefits and performance
Any claims relating to the benefits/performance of a specific treatment, commercial product or service will be supported by appropriate, balanced evidence in the manner outlined above in Principle 4.
6. Transparency
Accessible presentation, accurate email contact.
The designers of this Web site will seek to provide information in the clearest possible manner and provide contact addresses for visitors that seek further information or support. The Webmaster will display his/her E-mail address clearly throughout the Web site.
7. Financial disclosure
Identify funding sources.
Support for this Web site will be clearly identified, including the identities of commercial and non-commercial organisations that have contributed funding, services or material for the site.
8. Advertising policy
Clearly distinguish advertising from editorial content.
If advertising is a source of funding it will be clearly stated. A brief description of the advertising policy adopted by the Web site owners will be displayed on the site. Advertising and other promotional material will be presented to viewers in a manner and context that facilitates differentiation between it and the original material created by the institution operating the site.
For Complete Health on the Internet (HON)
Code of Ethics, please see the HON site. This page reproduced with permission from Health on the Internet.
