Committed to the Open Source Movement in Healthcare
Established
16 October 1998
Publisher:
BJHC Ltd
Copyright
© 1998–2008
Health informatics Europe and BJHC Ltd.
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eHealth Ethics Summit Reaches Consensus, Drafts International Code of Ethics WASHINGTON, D.C., February 3, 2000 – The Internet Healthcare Coalition announced today that consensus has been reached in drafting an International Code of Ethics for Internet healthcare. A set of guiding principles has been agreed upon and was drafted at the eHealth Ethics Summit, hosted by the Pan-American Health Organization in Washington, D.C. held on January 31- February 2, 2000. A first draft of the Code will be made available to the public on February 18, 2000. It was agreed that the draft Code of Ethics for Internet healthcare would address the crucial issues of:
"This Summit was particularly noteworthy as it is the first case in which all of the vested parties had the opportunity to participate in the development of a code of ethics," said the Summit co-chairs, Helga Rippen, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, and Ahmad Risk, MD. "The Internet Healthcare Coalition firmly believes that it is only through broad consensus, education, and enforcement that any ethical code can truly be effective." In drafting the Code, Summit participants had the benefit of specially commissioned surveys that examined key stakeholder concerns. The Summit remains in session and will continue to work with all parties in the eHealthcare community to finalize the Code. The Code will be launched in May 2000 at a reconvened, extended Summit. Prior to the May launch, the Code will undergo a rigorous review process including public hearings, consultation, and the opportunity for people throughout the world to participate in the process via a Web site hosted by the Internet Healthcare Coalition. A Steering Group has been elected and charged with ensuring the completion of this task. Summit participants represented all key Internet Health constituencies including consumers and patients, healthcare providers, ethicists, dot com entities, academicians, special-interest societies, manufacturers of regulated drugs and medical devices, governmental agencies, and international representatives. About the Internet Healthcare Coalition The Internet Healthcare Coalition, a non-profit, non-partisan international organization, is dedicated to identifying and promoting quality healthcare resources on the Internet. Founded in 1997 and based in Washington, D.C., the Coalition’s membership represents every sector of the Internet health space, including consumers, commercial developers of health information, medical libraries, special-interest societies, and manufacturers of regulated drugs and medical devices. The goal of the Coalition is to educate healthcare consumers and professionals about the evolving issues relating to the quality of Internet health resources and information. In October 1999, responding to calls from within the Internet health community, the Coalition launched its ongoing "eHealth Ethics Initiative" to provide a forum for the development of a universal set of ethical principles for health-related Web sites. More information regarding the Internet Healthcare Coalition and its "eHealth Ethics Initiative" can be found on the Web at http://www.ihealthcoalition.org. |
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