Medical Disclaimer

The Charter publishes journalism about health. It does not practise medicine.

Not medical advice

Everything on this site is general information for a general audience. It is not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a substitute for advice from a qualified professional who knows your history. Reading an article here does not create a doctor–patient relationship of any kind.

Before you act on anything

Talk to a doctor, pharmacist or other licensed clinician before starting, stopping or changing any treatment, supplement, diet or exercise routine — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription medication, or managing a chronic condition.

If you need help now

This site is not monitored for emergencies. If you are in crisis or think you may harm yourself or someone else, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country immediately.

How we describe evidence

We try to be explicit about the strength of the evidence behind a claim: whether a finding comes from a randomised trial, an observational study, animal research or a single small experiment. Where a study is preliminary, the article says so. Where experts disagree, the article says that too.

External links

We link to studies, institutions and other publications so you can check our work. We do not control those sites and are not responsible for their content or their accuracy.

If you believe something on this site is medically wrong or unsafe, please tell us through the contact page — that message goes to the editors.