Ethics

Health Information Ethics 2023

We believe journalistic ethics and medical research go hand-in-glove. Which means ‘do no harm.’ We support confidential, patient-provider conversations by publishing fact-checked information.

In today’s fake news world, journalists must go the extra mile to protect patients from misleading information and focus on therapies that will save lives and reduce overall health costs.

Guiding Principles:

• Authoritative: is the source from qualified authors
• Complementarity: all published information should enhance, not diminish, provider-patient relationships
• Attribution: citations identify the source(s) of relevant research
• Transparency: independence from political bias shall at all times be preserved
• Financial disclosure: related funding source and researcher relationship must be communicated appropriately

Industry Standards:

In 1999, several eHealth 1.0 leaders gathered in New York City to define news publishing standards for the digital ecosystem. Most of those publishing standards remain compelling today. But unfortunately, many media reports overemphasize potential benefits, ignore apparent shortcomings, and do not present cost issues.

In 2023, various news organizations deployed AI-content-creating technologies. While these innovative solutions offer operational efficiencies, we believe AI-edited health information requires clear disclosures and provider oversight to empower patient trust. 

Advisory Team:

Don Ward Hackett, Publisher, and Dr. Robert Carlson, Clinical Editor, have published health news and vaccine information for three decades. In addition, our un-compensated advisory board members provide oversight, share industry insights, and have direct subject matter knowledge focused on the vaccine delivery industry.