The editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest asking the following questions to help decide if information on a Web site is credible:

• Who wrote it?  The Web site should list the names and credentials of all authors and contributors.
• Where is the source?  You should be able to find references and sources for all the information on a Web site.
• Who pays for it?  Make sure the Web site lists its sponsors.  Web sites sponsored by commercial organizations may just want to sell you a product.
• Is it recent?  The Web site should list the date that the information was posted on the Internet.  Avoid sites that don’t update their content on a regular basis.   

Some of the most reliable Web sites are those sponsored by major medical associations,  hospitals, universities, or the government.

The Food and Drug Administration gives tips on how to determine whether a health or medicine web site is accurate and authentic.  Use their advice to make sure you don't get false information that could actually be detrimental to your health. Visit http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/596_info.html