(ECNS) - China's move to ban online medical diagnoses for individuals is an attempt to regulate Internet-based medical services, rather than a complete ban, the Southern Daily reports.
Song Shuli, spokesperson for the National Health and Family Planning Committee (NHFPC), said only qualified medical institutions and doctors can offer telemedicine services to patients, while other organizations are only allowed to give counseling, but not diagnoses or treatments.
The statement has raised concerns about the future of online medical services, as investments are starting to flood a sector that suffers from insufficient resources and tension between doctors and patients.
Li Dachuan, an official of medical administration under the NHFPC, said there are medical risks if doctors make diagnoses based solely on materials provided by patients.
In August 2014, the NHFPC also stated that non-medical organizations can only provide a platform for telemedicine, but are banned from directly offering medical services to patients via the Internet.
Yet the NHFPC's policies have not discouraged some investors.
Liao Jieyuan, president of Guahao.com, an online medical registration platform, believes Internet health services have a bright future.
