Warning on 'quack' medical websites

The Government is being urged to set up an official health website following a Massey University study that points to internet users relying on "quack" sites for medical information.

Study co-author Dr Guy Scott said such sites offered potentially harmful advice.

A surprise finding from the survey of 126 people in Wellington showed a third had changed eating or drinking habits after seeking medical information on the web, and almost 10 per cent said they had given up smoking.