As Google turns ten, MPS highlights issues surrounding online self-diagnosis

As Google celebrated its 10th birthday on 7 September, a leading medical protection organisation highlights the increasing trend towards self-diagnosis by patients taking advantage of the wealth of information now available online.

Dr Su Jones, Senior Medicolegal Adviser at the Medical Protection Society “More than 1 billion people worldwide now have access to the internet, and 8 out of 10 use Google to find websites - giving patients a greater opportunity to explore the possibility of self-diagnosis.”

“Whilst access to medical information has its benefits to both patients and their doctors it is important that patients are encouraged by their doctors to understand the limitations of online information, and how to use it to best effect.”

“Difficulties can arise from lay interpretation of potentially complex medical information and terminology, and the variable quality of the information available. These factors can contribute to both incorrect self-diagnosis and misplaced patient expectations.” 

Dr Jones further commented “Doctors are faced with the additional challenges of managing these expectations as they revisit diagnosis and treatment options. These challenges need to be handled sensitively in order to avoid precipitating patient dissatisfaction or complaints.”

As the use of the internet continues to grow, the message from MPS to doctors is “that the internet can be a very useful tool in promoting a mutually beneficial discussion between the doctor and patient about a condition and its treatment and the information available can help improve patients’ knowledge and understanding. 

"However, patients may not necessarily declare the information that they have received or may make a self-diagnosis based on incorrect information. It is important that the doctor doesn’t feel pressurised into providing treatment they don’t feel is appropriate or in the patient’s best interests.

"A doctor should never prescribe outside the limits of their own knowledge and competence, and remains responsible for all prescribing decisions even when pressurised by patients.” 

Notes to editors

• 1 billion people now have access to the internet: eMarketer, 2005 (click here for source)
• 8 out of 10 internet users use Google (click here for source).