I received an email today from a friend that said “FYI – Cancer” in the subject line. Inside was a long list of “Cancer Updates” supposedly published by Johns Hopkins Medicine. As I went through each item one-by-one, I immediately began to wonder about the validity of several, if not all, of these statements.

After a quick google search for “Johns Hopkins cancer update”, I found the official Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Johns Hopkins Medicine website stating that they had no involvement in the email hoax regarding cancer.

I know that this email was forwarded to me by a friend who genuinely thought that this information would be informative and useful. It is only by chance that I have a personal interest in this type of information that I feel able to question the validity of such pieces of information.

But what do other people, who have no prior interest in or knowledge of this type of information, do when they receive this from someone they know and trust?

I have even come across other blogs who have written posts regarding this “Cancer Update” with the intention of providing useful information to their readers.

I am reminded of a tv commercial that I have seen recently advertising a new program in Ontario called Medscheck. The commercial begins with several seniors sitting down for brunch at a cafe. As one person pulls out his medication, another informs him that he heard that you shouldn’t take that medication if you’re taking this one too. As nods of agreement go around the table, another lady knowingly says that she heard from someone else that you should be taking another medication instead.

I think this commercial describes exactly what happens when people are not provided with reliable resources to obtain accurate information. Often times, it is not that the correct information is unavailable, it is simply that we don’t know where to look for it.

Like many others, I generally turn to the internet as my primary source of information for just about any topic under the sun. I won’t deny that I think the internet can be an invaluable resource. But readers beware!

If you are unfamiliar with a certain topic, be sure to obtain information from reliable sources. By reliable, I mean official sources. For example, if you are looking for information on heart health, a good Canadian resource would be to go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They are a not-for-profit organization that is supported by physicians, hospitals, and researchers across Canada.

Another good starting place for health information is your family doctor. If you do not have a family doctor, you can ask the doctor at your local clinic or your local pharmacist. They are trusted resources who we generally turn to when we have already been afflicted by whatever ailments. Do not be afraid to ask them where else to find more information.

At the end of the day, it is up to us to decide where to look for information and to question the information that we do find. We may feel that we do not understand what this information means, so who are we to question the validity of it; I know I do.

But remind yourself that this information is for your own health and protection. Have the right information so that you can make the right decisions.