In the modern age, the combination of medicine and communications technology is apparent with the continued growth of the Internet. The online pharmacy market is a steadily-growing business, with the need for regulatory boards and licensing system becoming more and more apparent. However, the online pharmacy sector is not the only aspect of the medical system that is making headway on the Internet. Thanks to the combination of the Internet, phone lines, and webcam technology, it is now possible for a patient to have a consultation over the Internet. While these are convenient ways for a person to have his symptoms diagnosed, there are a few things that need to be kept in mind.
The first problem is the issue of reliability of information. Like an online pharmacy that dispenses prescription-only medication, the problem is in the limited amount of information that can be given over the Internet. On most online consultation systems, the doctor has to rely mostly on what the patient says, with no option to physically check the patient’s signs, such as blood pressure and pulse. The same problem applies even with webcam technology being fully utilized, because there is...