Hi-Ethics to Further Internet Health Information Quality Objectives Through the Center for Information Therapy.

WASHINGTON -- Having achieved its primary goal of creating a platform for greater accountability for Internet health information, Health Internet Ethics (Hi-Ethics) announced that it would transfer its outstanding funds to the Center for Information Therapy (IxCenter) to continue to drive the Internet ethics and quality agenda forward. The Hi-Ethics principles, initially developed in 2000, were adopted by most of the leading Internet health portals and served as the basis for the first Web site accreditation standards, which were created in 2001 by the independent review organization, URAC.

"The Hi-Ethics principles stimulated greater scrutiny by Web sites of their own internal practices and provided a framework for public accountability," said Alan Greene, President of Hi-Ethics and Chief Medical Officer of A.D.A.M., Inc. "The IxCenter is now uniquely and ideally positioned to advance the Hi-Ethics mission and create innovative ways to guide consumers to credible, high-quality health information."

The not-for-profit, tax-exempt, IxCenter has been a leader in the drive for improving the quality of Internet health information. IxCenter President, Joshua Seidman, PhD, is a recognized expert in this field, having published significant research and spoken widely on the topic and has served on several Internet health information ethics and quality advisory bodies.

"Hi-Ethics was a pioneer in the advancement of ethical behavior for health Web sites," said Seidman. "We are now in a position to pursue the next generation of strategies for robust evaluation of Internet health information quality."

Among other things, the IxCenter Board of Directors will create a Health Internet Ethics & Quality Workgroup, which will be chaired by Greene and will include Hi-Ethics Founding Chair Don Kemper, chairman and CEO of Healthwise. The Workgroup will make recommendations regarding major policy issues related to Internet health information evaluation. In addition, the Workgroup and the IxCenter will identify funding sources to develop new Internet health evaluation research and development projects.

About the Center for Information Therapy, Inc.

The IxCenter is an independent, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit that aims to advance the practice and science of information therapy (Ix(R)) to improve health, consumer decision making and healthy behaviors. Launched in 2001, the IxCenter acts as a catalyst for health care delivery innovation by diffusing Ix strategies through research, education and collaboration. For more information, visit http://www.ixcenter.org/.

Ix(R) is a registered trademark of the Center for Information Therapy, Inc.