Asthma is so widespread and severe a medical problem that most published articles about it deal with the disease itself. Nowadays, we should emphasize on the human side of the disease : Asthma is of course a source of constant concern to chest physicians and allergologists - whether they are caring for children or adults, whether they have been trained in allergology or not, whether they are working in a hospital or in private practice.
InterAsma, a non-profit organization that operates world-wide,
has now created the AsmaNet to help alleviate this concern. The
aim of the AsmaNet is to develop and broaden the basis of
knowledge about asthma by promoting person-to-person contact
using modern means of communication: the information highways
that are becoming increasingly widely available, such as the
Internet.
Printed scientific periodicals have and will for the
foreseeable future continue to have a key role in validating and
disseminating information. However, new tools based on the
Information Highways, are emerging in many fields and bring
potentially huge benefits. In the case of AsmaNet, for example,
as well as other services available on the Internet, this means
that plain text, Congress meeting reports, bibliographies and a
great deal of other useful information can be made immediately
available to users, and circulated quickly through mailing lists.
Subscribers to the service can discuss matters raised at will,
creating a sort of "Off-line Interactive Information
System".
Individual experience is unvaluable and cannot be replaced. Until now, however, it has often been quite difficult for physicians to take advantage of their colleagues' experience, except through informal contacts, "ear-say" during Conventions, or from the occasional publication of a clinical case report in the literature. These are of course usefull methods, but rather inefficient and time consuming fot the busy physician. The ASMANET will bring chest physicians and allergologists a new way of life, a new culture they can explore. Using the Information Highways, it provides a simple means of a dealy exchange of information about asthma, either on a person-to-person basis (via Email) or with a group of colleagues with similar interests (via mailing lists). Subscribers can discuss special clinical issues, ask questions to a group of people with similar backgrounds, send requests for information to colleagues around the world ... the possibilities are virtually unlimited.
So, how can readers obtain a better understanding and a better "feel" for what the AsmaNet is all about ? The answer is simple : one only needs access to the Internet, either directly or via one of the many gateways now available, and can then watch the daily exchanges of information. An MD might ask colleagues on the same "mailing list" about how best to use a particular drug, because the information he has available is confusing or contradictory. Another might ask for information about a position that is about to become vacant in a hospital. A biologist might then announce a breakthrough in measuring blood CO2 that he has made, as a result of pressure from the management to reduce costs. These are just some examples that can take place on the AsmaNet.
Some physicians may not yet be used to communicating using
these types of methods. However, the potential benefits are so
great that we should all be willing to try out this new way of
life. The AsmaNet is of course completely voluntary: Everyone has
the right to choose what information he or she wishes to receive,
or to disseminate.
It has been said that the Internet is redefining or
reinventing democracy. One can express oneself freely and
practically without constraint. The only restriction is that the
unwritten "laws" which have developed spontaneously
amond users, commonly known as "netiquette", should be
adhered to. There is a saying in politics to the effect that to
stay in power, one must maintain secrecy. The Internet shows that
this need not be true: everything is in the "public
domain".
. 
Asmanet
Congrès Conçue et réalisée par: Michel Godard (at) Top
Date de création: 10 Janvier 1995-Dernière mise à jour: 09/09/00
Le secret des correspondances transmises sur le réseau Internet
n'est pas garanti.
Toute personne citée dispose d'un droit d'accès, de
modification, de rectification et de suppression des données le
concernant (art. 34 de la loi
"Informatique et Libertés" n° 78-17 du 6 janvier
1978). Pour l'éxercer adressez-vous à Michel Godard (at)