Months ago I wrote about using the HON Code -- that's Health on the Net -- to find websites that offer credible and useful health information on the Internet.
HON is the long established sheriff of solid, transparent, useful health information. Based in Switzerland (gotta love the metaphor of neutrality and peace), HON not only reviews and assesses the credibility of health and medical websites, but it then credentials those which meet its criteria.
Getting through its approval process isn't easy. There are applications and post-review updates to submit. I've never heard of any website with an HON credential that was deemed later not to be worthy.
So you can imagine how loudly I applauded when I learned that all About.com Health sites have now been HON credentialed! Many of them have been credentialed for a long time, some more recently than others, but now -- it's all of them.
How do you know when a site has been credentialed? Scroll to the bottom of the site's homepage, and you'll see the little HON logo on the lower right. Then click on it -- you'll see this notation:
That's your assurance that a site has been thoroughly reviewed, containing credible and reliable information for you to use.
There are some specific ways to look for, and verify a site's HON credential. Just because a site shows the logo doesn't necessarily mean it is approved or verified. You can imagine with all the squirrely things that show up on fraudulent websites that they might try to steal the HON logo, too.
Learn more about verifying a site's HON approval, and how you can use HON's special search engine to find credible health information online.
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To my delight, I also discovered ‘HONcode’ while searching the globe -literally- for a ‘trustworthy’,medical resource of the highest quality. It’s outstanding and I rely on it for everything health-related.
It took no time at all to realize, that it was one of a kind. Years ago, I’d married a Parisian , and was lucky enough to live in France (!) I fell in LOVE with an entire culture and its ways of life. I learned to greatly appreciate, solidly respect & “TRUST~
{that’s something we would all appreciate – esp. over the past few decades!}.. their collective wisdom, regarding life and how to live it well + more. How happy it made me , when I saw this article since About.com , has become my ‘website of choice’ for many of the same reasons. I am not at all surprised that the two have found each other. …. Just pleased. Take care ~
P.S. Everybody, please do yourselves this important ‘favor’ and download your very own -FREE (= priceless !) “HONcode Toolbar”. It’s
simple and only takes a few seconds.