Use health websites as a starting point
Check authorship, dates, sources, and privacy before relying on a page.
A website can be useful without being the right source for a personal medical decision. The key is understanding what it is offering: a general explanation, a commercial product, a personal story, or clinical guidance for professionals.
Check who is responsible
Look for an About page, a named operator, author information, and an explanation of editorial review. A professional-looking design is not evidence of clinical expertise. Be cautious if a site uses medical-sounding language but does not explain who wrote or checked the material.
Read the date and references
A page should make its source trail visible. Check whether the linked material actually supports the claim, rather than merely mentioning the same topic. A recent date alone does not prove that an article was meaningfully reviewed or updated.
Protect personal information
Before entering symptoms or contact details, read the privacy information and consider whether the submission is necessary. A general information page should not need your full medical history. Avoid sending sensitive details to an unknown contact form simply to download a checklist.
Try this next
- Find the operator and editorial policy.
- Check a reference and publication date.
- Review privacy before entering personal details.
Source and context
MedlinePlus recommends checking responsibility, evidence, review practices, currency, and privacy when evaluating health information. MedlinePlus: Evaluating health information ↗
Source checked November 1, 2026. The routines, comparison questions, and examples in this article are original editorial planning suggestions, not clinical protocols or findings from a trial. A source link does not imply agency endorsement.