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updated 21 September 2005

A Code of Ethics for Health Care on the Internet 

On Wednesday, May 24, the eHealth Ethics Initiative introduced a code of ethics for health care sites and services on the Internet. The "eHealth Code of Ethics" [ HTML | PDF ] will help people worldwide realize the potential of the Internet for improving health and minimize its potential for doing harm.

As more and more people visit the 15,000-plus sites now offering health care information, products, or services through the Internet, concerns are growing about users' privacy, the quality of the information they receive, and the business practices of health-related sites and services. The "eHealth Code of Ethics" responds to calls by industry leaders like George Lundberg, editor-in-chief of Medscape (and former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association) to "set international standards that can become commonly accepted" to address increasing demand for reliable health care information on the Internet. Its eight guiding principles will provide a broad ethical framework for all stakeholders:

• Candor
• Honesty
• Quality
• Informed consent
• Privacy
• Professionalism in online health care
• Responsible partnering
• Accountability

The Code is the product of the eHealth Ethics Initiative, an ongoing international agenda organized by the Washington, D.C.-based, nonprofit Internet Healthcare Coalition devoted to educating stakeholders about the role of the Internet in health care. The principles of the Code reflect broad-based participation by leaders in industry, academe, government, patient and consumer advocates, and comments on the initial draft submitted for public review in February (www.ihealthcoalition.org/ethics/ethics.html ) in an open, democratic collaboration.

In developing the Code, a Steering Group elected by participants in the eHealth Ethics Initiative's "Summit," convened in January 2000, has been assisted by staff and fellows of The Hastings Center, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization known internationally for its work in health care ethics and by the staff of Training Resources Group, Inc., an internationally recognized firm specializing in facilitating complex consensus-building and decision-making processes. The Steering Group is co-chaired by Helga Rippen, chair of the Internet Healthcare Coalition, and Ahmad Risk, chair of the British Healthcare Internet Association.

Helga Rippen 
Ahmad Risk  

Internet Healthcare Coalition http://www.ihealthcoalition.org/