MEDICAL Council chiefs have failed to reach an agreement on how to regulate 'Internet doctors', with members split over what should be regarded as advertising through tele-medicine.
The council's ethics committee has found the issue too complicated and is worried that firm rules may fail to keep pace with evolving technology.
The committee recently completed a review of doctors' professional code of conduct. The revised code - which includes a new section on withholding and withdrawing patient treatment and doctors' participation in medical groups - is expected to be issued in August.
But the revised code will not include a section on tele-medicine, although it was originally planned.
The ethics committee recommended that separate guidelines on tele-medicine should be issued instead of advising doctors on the proper ways of releasing information or treating patients over the Internet.
Health care and medical Web Sites have become popular in Hong Kong. Many link to medical groups, which post health news, doctors' advice on diseases and also offer clinic services.
