An Internet bulletin board that answers medical questions from the public has gathered a strong following since it opened in December, according to the operator of the Web site.
Some 113,000 doctors, or about 45 percent of the physicians in Japan, are registered with the AskDoctors Web site to handle questions on 22 diseases, including colds, hay fever, lifestyle-related sicknesses, gynecological disorders and depression, according to So-net M3 Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Communication Network Corp.
Members of the AskDoctors bulletin board can ask three questions a month for a monthly fee of 315 yen. The site covers a broad range of questions, including those from people seeking second opinions because they cannot fully trust their primary doctors.
The bulletin board also allows registered doctors to exchange views.
"Many people have cleared their minds by engaging in conversations with doctors on the Web site, and then taking action," said Osamu Chujo, a So-net M3 executive.
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