1. How we provide trustworthy, accessible, and
accurate information
At Healthline, we’re committed to providing you with
trustworthy, accessible, and accurate information so
you’re equipped to care for your health and wellness. We
use an established Editorial Process to ensure we’re
giving you the best possible information.
Our Editorial Process was developed by the Healthline
team. It’s the backbone of everything we do. But what is
this process? How do we ensure that everything we
publish meets our standards?
2. Our team creates and edits every piece of content based
on the 4 pillars of our editorial process. These pillars — (1)
earning and maintaining trust; (2) keeping high journalistic
standards; (3) prioritizing accuracy, empathy, and
inclusion; and (4) continual monitoring and updating of
content — ensure that you can always find the timely,
evidence-based information you need.
1. Earning and maintaining trust
Health information is easy to find but it can be confusing,
overwhelming, inaccurate, irrelevant, or inaccessible.
We’re here to change that.
We provide content that is trustworthy, accurate,
evidence-based, clear, understandable, accessible,
empathetic, and actionable.
Throughout our content, we address total well-being and
help you make the important connection between health
and lifestyle. We call it “whole person health.” In support of
that, we openly and objectively cover a range of topics and
viewpoints.
We’re aware the journey is different for everyone, so we
stand for inclusivity and empathy. We’re here — free of
judgment — for everyone seeking better health.
2. Keeping high journalistic standards
3. You come to Healthline to get accurate information about
your health, so it’s our responsibility to set high journalistic
standards. Our news and educational content is unbiased,
balanced, timely, actionable, research-backed, honest,
and comprehensive. Our feature content brings forward
individual perspectives with empathy, candor, and respect.
Here’s how we ensure we meet these standards:
• We carefully select contributors and regularly
train them. Our in-house editorial team carefully
selects expert writers and contributors. We vet our
content creators for subject matter expertise and
relevant life experience. We train them on research
and sourcing best practices, and we provide regular
feedback and ongoing coaching.
• Our health information is reviewed for medical
accuracy by medical experts. Healthline Media’s
Medical Network is composed of healthcare
professionals from research institutions, professional
organizations, and private practice with varied and
extensive expertise in their respective fields. Along
with their knowledge in a variety of medical
specialties, our medical reviewers bring an added
perspective thanks to their experience in clinical
practice, research, and patient advocacy.
• We thoroughly vet all the brands we partner with
and mention in our content. Our Brand and Content
Integrity team researches the business practices of
4. partner brands and evaluate their medical and health
claims against the current body of scientific evidence.
• Consumer drug information content is created by
skilled medical editors. Our consumer drug
information content is created by a team of skilled
medical editors working with PharmD writers and
Medical Reviewers. These experts are focused on
answering your questions and know how to present
complicated pharmaceutical information clearly.
• Our News team stays abreast of new
information. Our news content is created by
experienced writers and reviewed by professional
fact-checkers. Every day, the News team takes a
deep dive into the latest medical research, so you are
kept up to date on what’s happening in the world of
health.
• All content is checked to meet our standards. Our
in-house editorial team touches every piece of content
before it is published, double-checking to ensure it
meets our rigorous editorial
standards of clarity,
accuracy, quality
sourcing, and
inclusive and
empathetic
language.
5. 3. Prioritizing accuracy, empathy, and inclusivity
We want to make sure that everything we publish is
accessible and understandable to our readers. As such,
we rely on a proprietary style guide based on the
Associated Press Stylebook. This ensures our writers and
editors are focusing on readability, clarity, empathy,
inclusivity, real-life application, quality sourcing, and clear
citations.
You’ll notice that our voice is warm and approachable —
yet brave and progressive. Beyond being approachable
and transparent, we use conscious, respectful language
that promotes inclusivity and compassion. We use
empathetic language to tell judgment-free stories, and we
make intentional choices to remove stigma, stereotypes,
and to avoid injecting bias.
Here at Healthline, conscious language is an ongoing
commitment. We regularly engage with community
advocates and research language trends within health
communities. We choose our words carefully, seeking to
combat stigmas and empower our readers.
As language evolves, we evolve with it. We also
understand health touches each of us differently, so we
respect people’s choice of words when sharing their
personal stories. Ultimately, we can’t be a true ally unless
6. we put you at the center of everything we do. Our use of
language reflects this view.
4. Continual monitoring and updating of content
Health information is constantly changing. New research
emerges, old ideas are disproven, and terminology
becomes out of date.
At Healthline, we continually monitor and update our
content to make sure we’re sharing the most up-to-date
and accurate information possible. To make this a reality,
we have entire teams of editors and experts focused on
identifying and updating inaccurate or unclear information.
Our Medical Integrity team keeps tabs on changes in
standards of care, new clinical guidelines, drug approvals
or recalls, and major practice recommendations. The team
brings these insights to our editors and partners so that
content can be updated to reflect the latest, most
accurate, and most useful information.
You may see a few dates on our content. Each of these
refers to a different step in our editorial process.
• Each piece of content is given a “written on” date
when it is originally written and published on our site.
• Every time a piece of content is reviewed by an expert
member of our Medical Network, it receives a new
“medical review” date.
7. • Every time a piece of content is verified by one of our
professional fact-checkers, it receives a new “fact-
checked” date.
• Whenever a piece of content is modified, it receives a
new “updated on” date. The modifications may
include corrections of minor inaccuracies, addition of
new information, replacement of images and sources,
or any other change made to improve the value of the
content for you, the reader.
