In article <camillaCr43J9.7s2 at netcom.com>, camilla at netcom.com (Camilla
Cracchiolo) says:
>>>However, the response from MDs and immunologists has been underwhelming
>at best. One person suggested that this would duplicate the function
>of your newsgroup here, bionet.immunology.
>No, I don't think that would duplicate bionet.immunology. It seems to
me it would fill a real niche.
Several possible reasons for few responses to clinical health problem
queries on bionet.immunology:
Most bionet.immunology participants are probaly primarily research
oriented. It's my guess that so far, very few clinicians in practice
spend much time surfing the internet.
I suspect many people are apprehensive about anything that smacks of
"practicing medicine" in a forum such as the internet.
Queries I have seen often don't give me a good idea of what level/kind
of information would be appropriate: Patient information bulletins (I
don't have those but their personal physician should); Scientific
American or Time magazine articles; medical textbooks (if they can
access in a medical library on citation by a netter, why not just go to
the library in the first place and have the librarian help look up
information - that's what they enjoy doing!); latest article in JI or
JEM (could they get it? could they understand it? often I can't!).
In summary, the patient-oriented sci.med.immunology group is probably a
good idea - at least to the point of an RFD and vote. Responses may be
scarce to start with, for reasons cited above, but I would expect them
to grow. And don't decry the "support group" aspects of such a
newsgroup. Other, more experienced/seasoned patients and their families
may often be an excellent source of useful information, in addition to
"suppport".
Just my $0.02 worth!
===============================================================================
+ Gerald L. Bartlett, M.D., Ph.D. Phone: 309-671-8440 +
+ Professor and Chairman of Pathology FAX: 309-671-8439 +
+ University of Illinois College of Medicine @ Peoria +
+ Box 1649, Peoria, IL 61656-1649 e-mail: jlb at uic.edu +
+ 1 Illini Drive, Peoria, IL 61605-2576 u56149 at uicvm.cc.uic.edu +
===============================================================================
