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This paper is the result of a literature review and discussions during a two-day workshop. It examines how ICT can make a difference in reducing poverty and reaching the MDGs. This potential contrasts, however, with the relatively modest pro-poor ICT implementation level. It asks what key barriers impede the implementation of declarations, and how can we multiply, upscale and replicate successful pilot projects. This study idenfies four "basic requirements" for successful up-scaling of poverty reduction through ICTs: an enabling ICT policy environment; a high priority assigned to ICT for poverty reduction; appropriate technology choices; and mobilisation of additional public and private resources

In a joint project known as T@lemed, European and Latin American scientists in Colombia and Brazil are testing telemedicine services in practice. Going by the name of TOPCARE, the service also enables patients suffering from chronic ailments in Europe to benefit from an online link to the doctor

Over the past decade a rapidly expanding body of literature has demonstrated the existence of disparities in health and health care. While consensus has not emerged regarding the causes of disparities, they are generally thought to be related to sociocultural, behavioural, economic, environmental, biologic, or societal factors. To effectively address disparities, several authorities have suggested the need for greater information technology research and investments. eHealth researchers may be able to make significant contributions in this area through research and its applications. This paper begins with a historical overview of health disparities in the United States and Europe. It then discusses the role that the Internet, and access to the Internet, may play in the genesis of health disparities. Finally, this paper closes with a discussion of the potential benefits of eHealth applications and the possible contributions of the field to overcoming disparities in health and health care

This editorial briefly reviews the series of events that led to the publication, dissemination and eventual retraction of a flawed Cochrane systematic review on interactive health communication applications (IHCAs), which was widely reported in the media with headlines such as 'Internet Makes Us Sick', 'Knowledge May Be Hazardous to Web Consumers' Health', 'Too Much Advice Can Be Bad for Your Health', 'Click to Get Sick?' and even 'Is Cybermedicine Killing You?'. The authors show that while the media attention helped to speed up the identification of errors, leading to a retraction of the review after only 13 days, a paper subsequently published by Rada shows that the retraction, in contrast to the original review, remained largely unnoticed by the public. The authors examine the three flaws of the review and then discuss 'retraction ethics' for researchers, editors/publishers and journalists, making recommendations for the future