The authors of the article " Googling for a diagnosis", H Tang and J Ng, made a number of points in their reply to the responses to their article posted on the BMJ website :
1. There is a general misinterpretation by the press that doctors/ patients could make diagnosis by using web search engines. They argued that diagnosis can only be made by doctors who are competent after years of training and clinical experience. Doctors should also critically appraised the articles they found from the web.
2. They pointed out that doctors make diagnosis, not Google, therefore there is no danger of Google misdiagnosing diseases.
3. It would be unwise to ignore the web as a resource of information if traditional sources have failed to answer these questions.
4. They believed the internet empowers both patients and doctors and may improve the quality of care when used properly.
5. Doctors in training are in good position to guide their patients to reliable websites, therefore they should learn how to use the Internet effectively.
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