Study of telemedicine finds misdiagnoses of skin problems

Researchers posing as patients with skin problems sought help from 16 online telemedicine companies—with unsettling results. Some of the online doctors misdiagnosed syphilis, herpes and skin cancer, and some prescribed medications without asking key questions about patients’ medical histories or warning of adverse effects, the researchers found. Two sites linked users with doctors located overseas who aren’t licensed to practice where the patients were located, as required by state law.