http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/519357_4
Emphasis added.
The Internet has permitted physicians, other healthcare professionals, patients, and other consumers to quickly access medical information in unprecedented volume. Such access has the potential to speed the transformation of the patient-physician relationship from that of physician authority ministering advice and to that of shared decision-making between patient and physician. However, several substantial barriers remain before this relationship can be realized. These barriers include equitable access to information, imbalance between patient health literacy and the information provided,[20] extreme variability in the quality of the content, potential for commercial interests to influence content, and uncertain preservation of personal privacy. The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Science Panel on Interactive Health Communication have warned that much of the information on the Web is misleading and can be harmful to consumers.[21]
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