How to check a health claim before you act on it
A citation is a starting point, not a quality stamp. Before acting on a health claim, write down what it promises and open the source that is supposed to support it. The useful question is whether the evidence answers the same question as the headline.
Start with five checks
Ownership: Who wrote the page, who pays for it and how can you contact them?
Purpose: Is the page explaining a topic, selling something or both?
Source: Does the link open the study or guidance being described?
Date: When was the information updated?
Fit: Does it apply to your circumstances? Bring that question to a qualified clinician before relying on it for care.
These checks follow the National Library of Medicine's guide to evaluating health information.
Copy this claim-check worksheet
Claim: Copy the exact sentence, including the number and time period.
Source: Record the title and link.
Who: Note whether the source describes people, animals, laboratory work or a review of other research.
What happened: Record the outcome actually measured.
What is missing: List anything needed to connect that outcome to the claim.
Next question: Write what you would ask the author or clinician.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a headline saying, “This routine improves recovery by 40%.” Its linked report measured a questionnaire score in a small group after one week. The headline does not identify the questionnaire, the comparison group or what “recovery” means.
Your worksheet might say: “The report describes a questionnaire result. I cannot tell whether this means less soreness, better sleep or a return to sport. I need the definition, comparison and study population before interpreting the 40%.” This example is invented to demonstrate the method; it is not a treatment claim or a real study result.
Keep the uncertainty visible
Use three labels in your notes: “source found,” “claim matches source” and “personal relevance unresolved.” They answer different questions. If a link is broken or covers an unrelated topic, record that directly rather than replacing the missing evidence with a guess.
For your next appointment, bring one short claim and its original link. Use our telehealth preparation checklist to turn the question into a concise agenda. If the claim involves a percentage, see our guide to percentage changes.