The Internet: a modern Pandora's box?

Abstract

Two different views of the Internet are presented. One is from the perspective of an author who has written a personal account of her own breast cancer experience, while the other is from the perspective of a cancer researcher who is interested in quality of life research. The article is written in a format that reflects the somewhat informal style of messages sent to Internet discussion groups. For better or worse, the Internet has arrived as a force in our lives, and medical information and support constitute two of its more important uses. Both authors agree that the novel medium of the Internet provides a unique opportunity to create a true partnership of health care providers and consumers.