How We Work

Editorial Standards & Fact-Checking Policy

Last updated: January 15, 2026

Author Qualifications

All primary content on Smart Health Reporter is authored by or formally reviewed by professionals holding one or more of the following credentials:

• MD or DO with board certification in a relevant specialty
• PhD in a biomedical, nutritional, or health science discipline
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with graduate-level training
• PharmD with clinical or research specialization in the relevant area

Author credentials, institutional affiliations, and relevant disclosures are listed at the bottom of each article. We do not publish anonymous health content.

Source Standards

We prioritize the following hierarchy of evidence when sourcing factual health claims:

1. Level 1: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (the highest level of clinical evidence)
2. Level 2: Individual randomized controlled trials with adequate sample size and follow-up
3. Level 3: Prospective cohort studies and large observational studies with appropriate statistical controls
4. Level 4: Expert consensus guidelines from recognized medical bodies (AHA, ADA, WHO, NIH, etc.)
5. Level 5: Expert opinion from credentialed specialists — clearly labeled as such

We do not treat press releases, industry-funded studies without independent replication, animal studies (as direct translational evidence for humans), or anecdotal case reports as primary evidence for health claims. When we cite such sources, we explicitly note their limitations.

Fact-Checking Process

All articles undergo a three-stage review process before publication:

1. Author review: The authoring physician or researcher verifies all cited statistics, clinical claims, and mechanistic explanations against primary source literature
2. Editorial review: A senior editor independently checks each citation against its source document, flags unsupported claims, and reviews for factual accuracy, appropriate nuance, and representativeness of the evidence base
3. Medical review: For articles covering clinical topics, a second clinician in the relevant specialty reviews the content for clinical accuracy and practical applicability

Corrections Policy

We correct factual errors promptly and transparently. When a correction is made to a published article, we append a clearly dated correction notice at the top of the article specifying what was changed and why. We do not silently edit errors or delete articles to hide inaccuracies. If you believe a published article contains a factual error, please contact our editorial team with specific documentation and we will investigate within 5 business days.

Conflicts of Interest

All contributing authors and reviewers are required to disclose any financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, supplement manufacturers, food industry organizations, or other commercial entities that could constitute a relevant conflict of interest. These disclosures are reviewed by our editorial board, and authors with material conflicts of interest are recused from relevant content assignments. Our advertising and sponsored content operations are entirely separate from our editorial operations.

Sponsored Content Labeling

Any content that has been produced in whole or in part in partnership with an advertiser or sponsor is clearly and prominently labeled "SPONSORED CONTENT" or "ADVERTISEMENT" at the top of the page in a manner that is visually distinguishable from editorial content. Sponsor relationships do not influence the editorial content of non-sponsored articles.

Currency and Updates

Medical knowledge evolves continuously. We include original publication dates on all articles and review high-traffic evergreen content annually for accuracy against current evidence. Articles that cover evolving research areas include an explicit "last reviewed" date.

For questions about our editorial policies or to report a potential inaccuracy, please contact: editorial@smarthealthreporter.com