How We Keep It Careful
Writing about health for people who may be worried carries responsibility. This page sets out the habits we follow so that every answer is calm, accurate as far as we can make it, and honest about its limits.
Our standards in brief
- Answer the question early and plainly, then explain.
- Stay general: no diagnoses, doses or personal treatment plans.
- Never invent statistics, studies, quotes or credentials.
- Include a clear note on when to see a GP, pharmacist or dentist.
- Avoid fear and avoid hype in equal measure.
From draft to published answer
- Question chosen. We pick questions readers actually ask, often from our inbox.
- Reading. The writer gathers guidance from the kinds of sources listed on Where Our Facts Come From and keeps notes on each point.
- Draft. The answer is written in everyday words, with jargon explained or removed.
- Second read. Another writer checks the draft for anything overstated, unclear or unsafe if followed without help, and for missing "see a professional" notes.
- Publish and date. The article goes live with its publication date shown.
Tone on sensitive topics
Some subjects, such as weight, cosmetic surgery, pregnancy and mental health, touch on feelings as well as facts. We aim to write without judgement, to avoid language that could shame anyone, and to present choices rather than rules. On smoking and vaping we keep to what is generally understood: stopping smoking altogether is the goal, and vaping is discussed as one possible step away from cigarettes rather than something for non-smokers to start.
Business and money topics
Our small-business articles share general principles. We do not promise earnings, and we point readers to official guidance or an accountant for tax and legal questions.
Articles about products and services
When an article discusses a specific product or service, the same rules apply: balanced wording, no claims a regulator would not support, and a reminder to check with a professional where health is involved.
Corrections
If a reader shows us an error, the original writer checks it, a second writer approves the fix, and the article is updated. Significant changes update the date on the page. You can report a problem through the contact page.
Principles we return to
Habits behind every answer
A handful of principles we hold on to, whichever topic we are writing about.
A general article cannot know your history, your medicines or your body, so it should never be the final word.
When evidence on a supplement or trend is thin, we say so rather than filling the gap with confident language.
Vaping is written about as a possible step away from smoking, never as a habit for non-smokers to pick up.
Small-business pieces describe principles only and make no promise about what anyone will earn.
Mistakes get fixed openly, and the article date changes when the fix is significant.
Our routine
The path every answer takes
Each article on the site moves through the same five steps, whether it is about sleep, teeth or pricing a quilt.
Someone asks
We start from something a reader, friend or one of us genuinely wanted to know.
Reading around it
Guidance from health services, regulators and official bodies comes first, with notes kept on each point.
Drafting in everyday words
The answer goes near the top, the reasons follow, and jargon is explained or cut.
The newcomer read
Another writer looks for anything overstated, unclear or unsafe to follow without help.
Live and dated
The article is published with its date, and reader corrections go through the same check.