Development of Evaluation Indicators for Drug Information Websites Serving Patients and General Consumers

Ken YAMAMOTO; Kyoko KITAZAWA; Tsugumichi SATO; Mitsuo SAITO; Hiromi TAKANO-OHMURO; Yuki KAJI; Takeo NAKAYAMA; Michiko YAMAMOTO

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Development of Evaluation Indicators for Drug Information Websites Serving Patients and General Consumers

VernacularTitle:患者・一般消費者向け医薬品等情報サイトの評価指標の作成
Author: Ken YAMAMOTO ¹ ; Kyoko KITAZAWA ² ; Tsugumichi SATO ³ ; Mitsuo SAITO ⁴ ; Hiromi TAKANO-OHMURO ⁵ ; Yuki KAJI ⁶ ; Takeo NAKAYAMA ⁷ ; Michiko YAMAMOTO ⁸
Author Information

1. Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University
2. Kyoto Pharmaceutical University
3. Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science
4. Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center
5. Musashino University Faculty of Pharmacy
6. Department of General Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Ichikawa Hospital
7. Department of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health
8. Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University
Keywords: consumer health information; health literacy; patient medication knowledge
From:Japanese Journal of Drug Informatics 2025;27(3):105-115
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: Objective: With the Internet serving as a major source of medical information, the abundance of pharmaceutical content across media and digital platforms raises concerns about the impact of inappropriate or misleading information on public health. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive, practical evaluation indicator to assess the reliability and quality of pharmaceutical websites, targeting general consumers in Japan.Methods: We systematically reviewed existing domestic and international criteria for health information quality to develop evaluation indicators. Based on this review, a preliminary set of indicators was drafted and refined using a modified Delphi process involving six experts in pharmaceutical and medical communications. This process incorporated established frameworks, including the Health on the Net (HON) Code, JAMA Benchmarks, and the Japanese eHealth Ethics Code. A validated set of indicators was finalized after four iterative rounds of review and feedback.Results: The final tool comprises 16 evaluation items across three categories: (1) Screening Criteria (4 items), which eliminate websites with misleading content, public indecency, or political/religious affiliations; (2) Website Evaluation Criteria (5 items), assessing operational transparency, contact availability, advertisement distinction, and policy disclosure; and (3) Content Evaluation Criteria (7 items), addressing clarity, accuracy, update frequency, source citation, legal compliance, and balanced risk-benefit information. Each item was rated using a primarily binary (yes/no) scale with intermediate options, such as “partially applicable” or “not applicable.” The tool reflects expert consensus and complies with Japan’s ethical and regulatory standards.Conclusion: This tool facilitates the appropriate dissemination of pharmaceutical information and supports users in identifying trustworthy sources. By explicitly incorporating legal compliance and editorial transparency as evaluation criteria, it encourages higher standards among healthcare professionals and information providers, potentially improving the quality of pharmaceutical communication.