Purpose
HealAtlas explains health evidence for a general audience. Articles should help readers understand a question without overstating what a study, guideline, or trend can prove.
Source hierarchy
We prefer exact primary and authoritative sources: government and public-health agencies, clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, peer-reviewed studies, trial registrations, and official regulator notices. Secondary reporting may help identify a topic, but it should not be the only support for a material medical claim when the underlying evidence is available.
Evidence and uncertainty
- Study design, population, sample size, publication status, and important limitations should be stated when relevant.
- Observational associations must not be described as proof of cause and effect.
- Animal, laboratory, preprint, and early-phase results must be labeled clearly.
- Headlines must reflect the strength of the evidence and avoid sensational cure or safety claims.
- Conflicting evidence and guideline differences should be acknowledged when material.
Safety and medical language
HealAtlas does not diagnose, prescribe, or tell readers to stop medication or replace professional care. Articles should identify situations where prompt or emergency medical attention may be appropriate when authoritative guidance supports doing so. Dosage, interaction, pregnancy, pediatric, and chronic-disease claims require especially careful sourcing.
Automation and images
Automated and AI-assisted tools may support research organization, drafting, formatting, and image creation. Each new article must pass technical checks for sources, internal context, medical limitations, and unique imagery before publication. Generated images are illustrative and must not be presented as diagnostic scans, clinical evidence, or a real patient.
Authorship and review
Articles carry an author byline. A medical reviewer is named only when that person actually reviewed the article and their relevant qualifications can be stated accurately. The absence of a named reviewer means the article should be read as health journalism and general education, not clinical guidance.
Updates and corrections
Material corrections should be made promptly and transparently. Substantial updates may include a dated note describing what changed. Minor spelling or formatting fixes may be made without a note.