UM SOM: Integrative Medicine

Resources

• Consumer Resources in Complementary Medicine on the Internet (PDF)
• Complementary Medicine Guide
• Complementary Medicine Resources for Health Professionals and Researchers (PDF)

Articles

• Heal Faster
• Insurance Coverage
• Acupuncture relieves pain and improves function
• Integrative Approaches to perimenopause

Disclaimer:

The resources listed in this guide are not intended to be fully systematic or complete, nor does inclusion here imply any endorsement or recommendation by The University of Maryland or the Center for Integrative Medicine. The University of Maryland and the Center for Integrative Medicine make no warranties, express or implied, about the value or utility for any purpose of the information and resources contained herein.

Evaluating Web Sites

The same set of quality standards that aid users of medical information navigate print should apply in the digital world. These core standards should apply when assessing information "published" on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) web sites and Internet discussion forums. Through the utilization of standards consumers and professionals alike can reasonably judge whether what they are reading is credible, reasonable, or useful. Core standards that help in evaluating digital material include:

• Authorship: authors and contributors, their affiliations and relevant credentials should be provided.

• Attribution: references and sources for all content should be listed clearly, and all relevant copyright information noted.

• Disclosure: Web site "ownership should be prominently and fully disclosed, as should any sponsorship, advertising, underwriting, commercial funding arrangements or support, or potential conflicts of interest. This includes arrangements in which links to other sites are posted as a result of financial considerations. Similar standards should hold in discussion forums.

• Currency: Dates that content was posted and updated should be indicted.

Web sites and other Internet-based sources of CAM information that fail to meet these basic standards should be considered suspect.

Printer friendly Email this page