What is HON certification, and is it reliable?
This postscript came to us as part of an Ask Dr. Gourmet question and we realized that we don't have a place where we address information about HON code certification.
PS: In looking for your email address I noticed the HONcode logo and glanced at their claim of 8 principles of conduct. Is this a valid claim on their part? Or at least a step in the right direction? I remember growing up thinking the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval was a big deal.
Dr. Gourmet Says...
Yes, the HON code certification is something you can rely on for accurate health information on the internet. Before a website is allowed to claim that they are certified, the Health On the Net organization scrutinizes the website in question very carefully to make sure that the health information on the site is accurate, reliable, and appropriately attributed - which is why you'll always see us citing the medical journals we use for Nutrition Bites, for example. Then the organization returns on at least a yearly basis to re-assess the site, and they'll yank certification if the website no longer meets their standards.
All this to say that at the very least, when it comes to the web you do have one yardstick to rely on. You might find it interesting - or at least instructive - to look at popular websites that offer health information and note which ones do not carry the HON code certification.
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr Gourmet