Medblogging ethics continues to be of interest to the medical community. I was interviewed this week by Sean Johnson on this subject; see his piece Medical Ethics and Blogging: Think Before You Post. (Free registration may be required.) Highlight from the HealthBlawger:
The blogging medium has an effect on the writing of physicians – and all bloggers. Where the most popular exemplars of this new medium are often posting almost instantaneously upon thinking of something, thriving on controversy, and often, writing anonymously, all physician bloggers are drawn away from the conservative, peer-reviewed model of medical literature and into the more dangerous territory. It takes great discipline to steer clear of HIPAA, state law concerns, and breaches of medical ethics while ‘shooting from the hip.’ Many a blogger has posted something he or she wishes could be pulled back out of the blogosphere. Medical blogging has its own special overlay of concerns, but all bloggers would be well-advised to think for a moment before posting.
-- David Harlow
