GratisAI

Health · official-source review · reviewed 2026-10-04

Check the Source of an Online Health Claim

A confident headline is not enough. Check who wrote the claim, what evidence it uses, and when it was updated.

What this guide helps you do

Inspect the source, purpose, evidence, date, and privacy practices without making a diagnosis.

Who this guide is for

People who want to review a health claim before discussing it with a clinician.

Use the source document or official route that applies to your situation. This guide does not contact another person or verify external information.

Steps

  1. Open the original source

    Do not rely only on a screenshot or a repost.

  2. Identify the provider

    Find the organization and author. Check their role and contact details.

  3. Check the evidence

    Look for named studies, expert review, or links to primary evidence.

  4. Check the date and purpose

    Find the update date. Decide whether the page informs, sells, or collects data.

  5. Ask a clinician

    Use the claim to prepare a question. Do not change treatment based on this checklist.

Worked example

A post says that one food prevents a disease. The reader opens the linked article, checks its author and references, and asks a clinician about the claim.

Use your own source and details. The example is not a record about a real person or organization.

What the sources say

Evaluating Internet Health Information: Introduction

U.S. National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus · reviewed 2026-10-04

What this source supports: Check who provides the information, its purpose, evidence, date, and privacy practices.

Source limit: A source checklist cannot diagnose a condition or determine whether a treatment is right for a person. Ask a qualified clinician about personal care.

These sources support the statements above. They do not show that every person needs this guide. They do not show a specific result.

Limits

This process does not diagnose, treat, or evaluate personal medical risk. Ask a qualified clinician about health decisions.

A source checklist cannot diagnose a condition or determine whether a treatment is right for a person. Ask a qualified clinician about personal care.

Use current instructions from the responsible organization. This guide is a planning aid, not an official decision or a substitute for qualified advice.

Free Companion Apps

Each App has a separate job. Choose the one that fits your next step.

APP 1

Review an Online Health-Claim Source

Record which source checks you completed. Do not score the claim as medically true or false.

Free · no account · no upload

Open Review an Online Health-Claim Source

The Apps run in this browser. They do not send or save entries. Copy, download, or print only when you choose.

This guide uses short, direct instructions as an ASD-STE100-style writing target. It is not a formal certification.