Boards.ie

***r3nu4l*** · 30-10-2009, 08:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrIndy

Deleting may be the better option - particularily if the question and responses are dubious at best or condoning an illegal activity like online pharmacies. This is because although the thread is locked, it is still visible and can be found by googling.

As we can soft delete, if we need to restore it down the line, it can easily be done.

I totally agree with this, deleting is the best option. There was a thread locked but not deleted yesterday regarding online pharmacies. Leaving it visible allows people to view it and then send PMs to the OP with the information the OP was looking for, totally negating the intention of locking the thread.

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by r3nu4l

I totally agree with this, deleting is the best option. There was a thread locked but not deleted yesterday regarding online pharmacies. Leaving it visible allows people to view it and then send PMs to the OP with the information the OP was looking for, totally negating the intention of locking the thread.

I'm almost certain that happens way more than we realise.

DrIndy · 30-10-2009, 10:57

I've cleaned up the front page a bit.

A compromise policy is that an overt medical advice question or seeking online pharmaceuticals should be deleted.

If a conversation strays into this territory - delete or edit the posts and lock the conversation but don't delete. This preserves the previous dialogue which was on track and not providing potentially harmful info.

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 11:10

The thing is that some good threads might stray into medical advice territory. For example, as the new vaccine gets rolled out next week, the swine flu vaccine thread will start attracting people who want t ask advice. I don't tink that should mean the thread is closed. IMO it's more appropriate just to delete the single posts in the thread.

enda1 · 30-10-2009, 11:22

I saw mentioned above that we are not allowed recommend doctors or clinics etc. Is this true?

Surely one of the best ways to improve the medical professions standards is through consumer enlightenment!

It is very difficult to find out any information on good GPs in an area or "the best orthopaedic surgeon dealing with sports injuries" or the like. I mean many people will know the answers to these questions but for someone who has moved house or country it would be nice to be able to find out this kind of information without having to learn the hard way!

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by enda1

I saw mentioned above that we are not allowed recommend doctors or clinics etc. Is this true?

Surely one of the best ways to improve the medical professions standards is through consumer enlightenment!

It is very difficult to find out any information on good GPs in an area or "the best orthopaedic surgeon dealing with sports injuries" or the like. I mean many people will know the answers to these questions but for someone who has moved house or country it would be nice to be able to find out this kind of information without having to learn the hard way!

What about the parent a few weeks ago who (as has happened many times) went flipper because I wouldn't give her kid an antibiotic for his viral infection. She will have gone to her GP and gotten an antibiotic.

Give her a platform for giving her opinion and she will tell you Dr. Tallaght01 is crap and Dr. augmenticillin is great.

It's just not reliable enough.

enda1 · 30-10-2009, 11:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallaght01

What about the parent a few weeks ago who (as has happened many times) went flipper because I wouldn't give her kid an antibiotic for his viral infection. She will have gone to her GP and gotten an antibiotic.

Give her a platform for giving her opinion and she will tell you Dr. Tallaght01 is crap and Dr. augmenticillin is great.

It's just not reliable enough.

But some information is better than no information.
If the information is bad then it can be refuted by others. Time will allow the information to become better and better.

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by enda1

But some information is better than no information.
.

That's just not true. Half a picture is the worst premise on which to base your healthcare decisions.

And why should a doctor in the west of Ireland with a predominantly elderly population have to wait for someone to defend him n boards when someone complains about him.

There are established channels for complaints.

The bio+med forum was never meant for people discussing their own health issues. It's about people discussing general health science issues.

enda1 · 30-10-2009, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallaght01

That's just not true. Half a picture is the worst premise on which to base your healthcare decisions.

And why should a doctor in the west of Ireland with a predominantly elderly population have to wait for someone to defend him n boards when someone complains about him.

There are established channels for complaints.

The bio+med forum was never meant for people discussing their own health issues. It's about people discussing general health science issues.

That's a fair reason.

But regarding information, healthcare should not have this aura about it of importance. The same general rules apply to it of consumerism. Yes this doctor in the west treating elderly patients might not get backed up, but then (s)he will not lose patients either because their patients are not on this forum --> likewise for a doctor treating young urbanite patients, any negative comments will have a chance to be refuted by other users who are more likely to have encountered this doctor.

You would not be "basing" your healthcare decisions on what is read here, it would just be used as one more source of information. The more information the better!

But as you say if this is more supposed to be for general health science issues than fair enough this type of topic probably doesn't fit here.

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by enda1

That's a fair reason.

But regarding information, healthcare should not have this aura about it of importance.

Just out of curiosity, why do you think "importance" is an issue here?

Would be really good to get an answer on that

Quote:

Originally Posted by enda1

The same general rules apply to it of consumerism. Yes this doctor in the west treating elderly patients might not get backed up, but then (s)he will not lose patients either because their patients are not on this forum.

Presumably people would be asking an opinion because they're thinking about going to this doctor!!!!

It's up to the mods of the forum, though, at the end of the day.

tallaght01 · 30-10-2009, 14:58

These random claims of blood all over an examination table in the excellent wellwoman clinic is a perfect example.

How do you know there's any truth to it:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055721638

But it could very easily put people off that clinic.

**Tree** · 31-10-2009, 00:43

@enda1 consumer issues dont belong in science forums (blame my bias as a science lover and hater of business types stuff)

Regarding closure of threads vs. deletion, +1 for deletion of indivual posts w/i a decent thread, and entire thread for fresh threads looking for info from first post.

**sam34** · 29-05-2011, 19:41

OK, charter update.

there is a zero tolerance policy on medical advice here, irrespective of how innocuous or general it seems.

all such threads will be locked. there will be no comments made/advice given re peoples personal health/medical situations.

however, that has been policy for some time and we still get the advice threads.

so, we have decided to infract posters seeking medical advice from here on in. (obviously, if any poster gives medical advice prior to a thread getting locked, they too will be infracted).

there is no point PMing us afterwards saying "ah come on i wasnt looking for advice as such..." - zero tolerance is zero tolerance.

the reasons for this have already been explained in this thread and in the charter.

no further warnings.

**Vorsprung** · 27-03-2013, 23:28

A reminder to all posters on this forum:

We do not offer medical advice, nor do we allow comment/discussion of people's personal medical situations. If you start threads that include such queries, they will be closed.

There are no exceptions, and a mod's decision is final.

29-05-2011, 19:41	#58
sam34 Category Moderator Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5,895 Adverts \| Friends CMod: Biology, Health Science Mods, Health Sciences, Long Term Illness, Science Moderators, Weather Moderators, The Gentlemen's Club, Science, Science Mods	OK, charter update. there is a zero tolerance policy on medical advice here, irrespective of how innocuous or general it seems. all such threads will be locked. there will be no comments made/advice given re peoples personal health/medical situations. however, that has been policy for some time and we still get the advice threads. so, we have decided to infract posters seeking medical advice from here on in. (obviously, if any poster gives medical advice prior to a thread getting locked, they too will be infracted). there is no point PMing us afterwards saying "ah come on i wasnt looking for advice as such..." - zero tolerance is zero tolerance. the reasons for this have already been explained in this thread and in the charter. no further warnings. Last edited by sam34; 29-05-2011 at 21:12.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

30-10-2009, 10:57	#48
DrIndy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cairns, Australia Posts: 3,360 Adverts \| Friends	I've cleaned up the front page a bit. A compromise policy is that an overt medical advice question or seeking online pharmaceuticals should be deleted. If a conversation strays into this territory - delete or edit the posts and lock the conversation but don't delete. This preserves the previous dialogue which was on track and not providing potentially harmful info.

30-10-2009, 11:10	#49
tallaght01 Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,596 Adverts \| Friends	The thing is that some good threads might stray into medical advice territory. For example, as the new vaccine gets rolled out next week, the swine flu vaccine thread will start attracting people who want t ask advice. I don't tink that should mean the thread is closed. IMO it's more appropriate just to delete the single posts in the thread.

30-10-2009, 11:22	#50
enda1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 3,329 Adverts \| Friends	I saw mentioned above that we are not allowed recommend doctors or clinics etc. Is this true? Surely one of the best ways to improve the medical professions standards is through consumer enlightenment! It is very difficult to find out any information on good GPs in an area or "the best orthopaedic surgeon dealing with sports injuries" or the like. I mean many people will know the answers to these questions but for someone who has moved house or country it would be nice to be able to find out this kind of information without having to learn the hard way!

30-10-2009, 14:58	#56
tallaght01 Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,596 Adverts \| Friends	These random claims of blood all over an examination table in the excellent wellwoman clinic is a perfect example. How do you know there's any truth to it: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055721638 But it could very easily put people off that clinic.

31-10-2009, 00:43	#57
Tree Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Anseo Posts: 3,275 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Biology	@enda1 consumer issues dont belong in science forums (blame my bias as a science lover and hater of business types stuff) Regarding closure of threads vs. deletion, +1 for deletion of indivual posts w/i a decent thread, and entire thread for fresh threads looking for info from first post.

27-03-2013, 23:28	#59
Vorsprung Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,138 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Health Sciences	A reminder to all posters on this forum: We do not offer medical advice, nor do we allow comment/discussion of people's personal medical situations. If you start threads that include such queries, they will be closed. There are no exceptions, and a mod's decision is final.