The internet can be a useful tool to find health information. It is also vast and open to anyone, making it difficult to determine what is medically and scientifically proven information from what is not. Medically and scientifically proven information is presented quite differently.
Medically and scientifically proven information will have these features:
- Authority: The information will come from a credible source. Websites that have .org, .gov, .edu are credible. The authors are qualified to offer health information, as they are physicians (MDs) researchers (PhDs), nurses (RNs), or other licensed professionals. There will be at least one contact address for the site, which will invite you to contact them if you have any questions about their content.
- Accuracy: The information will describe the medical research done. The information will be backed up by references to scientific literature.
- Up-to-date: The information should be no older than 3 years. Check when the website was last updated. Research is an ongoing process, information can change with time.
- Unbiased: The site should not be owned by a company (such as a pharmaceutical company or other business) as the information might be presented to serve the company’s financial interests. Be wary of the justifications for claims about the benefits of certain products, treatments, or services. Look to other sites to see if these products produce consistently beneficial results.
- Any other site that does not have these features, should be considered unreliable. Common features of unreliable sites are:
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Web addresses that end in ‘.com’ usually mean a commercial business.
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They are selling a product.
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Evidence is presented only in the form of personal experiences from “users” or the volume of sales.
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Compelling testimonials are given (sometimes by actors).
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The product is labeled “natural” making you think that means safe or effective.
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There is a money-back guarantee if it does not work for you, again to make you think it is effective.
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Impressive medical language and technical jargon are used to give the impression that the information provided is medically sound.
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Personal stories are not reliable as evidence of effectiveness. Testimonials on websites that claim to cure or treat conditions can seem honest and heartfelt, but they can be completely false. These testimonials may even be from actors paid to endorse the product.
Don’t be shy about printing off the information or making note of it to take to your doctor for him/her to view at your next appointment.
Credible Internet sources for health information
Here is a list of credible Internet sources for health information organized by topics.
GENERAL
MedlinePlus.gov
This is a website of the National Library of Medicine in the United States. It is freely available and should be your first destination for health information.
You can be certain that the information is:
- Easy-to-use
- Reliable
- Accurate
- Current
- Written by health professionals
- Comprehensive
- Multilingual (English and Spanish)
- Free of advertisements
KIDNEY DISEASE AND TRANSPLANTATION SPECIFIC
The websites of kidney disease and transplantation organizations around the world are often a good way to obtain information and stay up to date. Many of these websites present summaries of ongoing research.
VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS
- The Kidney Foundation of Canada: https://www.kidney.ca
- The National Kidney Foundation (US): https://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease
- American Kidney Fund (US): https://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-disease/
- Kidney Health Australia: www.kidney.org.au
MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Canadian Society of Transplantation (CST): https://www.cst-transplant.ca
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (US): https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease
PATIENT ORGANIZATON
- Canadian Transplant Association (CTA): https://www.canadiantransplant.com
NATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORK
- The Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP)
https://cdtrp.ca
- Canadian Network for Rehabilitation and Exercise for Solid Organ Transplant Optimal Recovery (CAN-RESTORE) website: https://canrestore.wordpress.com/for-transplant-patients-caregivers/
RESEARCH
- PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed)
PubMed contains more than 21 million citations to the clinical medical literature written by physicians and other health professionals.
It can be confusing to search. Before trying to navigate this database, we recommend getting the assistance of a librarian.
- Clinical Trials Database (www.clinicaltrials.gov)
ClinicalTrials.gov is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.
For trials from the Health Canada: https://health-products.canada.ca/ctdb-bdec/index-eng.jsp