Web Mèdica Acreditada

The Web Mèdica Acreditada (WMA) is a project of the Medical Association of Barcelona. It is a non-profit, independent project which seeks to build trust on line and improve the quality of health information on the Internet through its web consulting service.

Due to the rapid evolving technology that makes it necessary to establish specific criteria and control measures that give the consumer some guarantee that the health website they're visiting meet a standard of quality, the National Guard Health Affairs continues to strive to provide a professional online portal that offers credible information made for both patients, health professionals and the public in general and as such has met the standard of WMA quality and ethical conduct.

WMA Code of Conduct standards:

• Identification of those responsible for the web site by including his/her name, medical specialization, and usual professional activity.
• The site should have a structure that is easy to understand and use.
• Date of last update because it informs the user of how old or new the information is within the web site,
• Source information of publications and documents offered on the site as well as dates these were elaborated and author of this information.
• If the possibility exists of obtaining medical advice on line, the consumer should always keep in mind that these are second opinions and that these can never substitute an actual medical visit. This information should be included within the site in a prominent place. The web site should also inform consumers of the importance of consulting with their usual physician about all of the information obtained on line.
• Address and contact e-mail should be offered, preferably on the home page. This is to give the consumer the option of requesting information or sending doubts about any issue relating the web site.
• Consumers should be informed about what secure system is being used to manage their data and also status of information.

For more detailed WMA rules of ethical conduct http://wma.comb.es/eng/codi.htm