title: [How are the websites of pharmaceutical companies directed at users?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the content and structure of the websites of pharmaceutical companies (PC) with health information to patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  health topics treated, and 9 sections: objectives and target population; editorial policy, authoring, updating of content, personal data protection, interactivity, accessibility, advertising labels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internet.
  
  
  METHODS
  All PC websites with patient health information in Spanish.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 60 sites found. Most common: 19.3% neurology, mental health and 12% digestive diseases. Few specify the address of the person responsible for the site (51.7%), responsible for quality (10%) or the authors of the text (15%). Nearly 2/3 show the date of publication of content (66.7%), but only 13.3% updated. Privacy and data protection are mentioned in 65%, with only 28.3% allowing control of the use of personal data. Only 10% allow expressing doubts online and 1/3 of the sites have frequently asked questions. A total of 41.7% omitted to say their information does not replace medical advice. Educational materials (for children) can be downloaded in 11.7%. Almost all (93.3%) adapted their language to the recipient, but none are accessible to disabled people. The majority (86.7%) have the company logo on all pages. Only 16.7% are fronts for advertising, and only 9 sites have a quality seal (HONcode).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pages are designed to give superficial information on a disease than directly advertise a particular brand or active ingredient. However, their reliability has to be low due to the authors and sources of information being unknown. If Internet health information was truthful and backed up by authors or appropriate information sources, the Internet could well be a genuine health education tool.
authors: Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Toledo, España.
authors: María Jesús
authors: MJ
authors: López Hidalgo
authors: Alicia
authors: A
authors: Aguado Gómez
authors: Marceliana
authors: M
authors: Sánchez Ruiz
authors: Gregoria
authors: G
authors: García-Moreno Rodríguez
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Alejandre Lázaro
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004345:Drug Industry; D004346:Drug Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet