NIH refreshes its online health-information guide: five checks before trusting a wellness claim

A federal checklist gets a timely refresh

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health refreshed several pages in its online health-information guide on August 30 and 31. The NIH center distills the first screen into five questions: Who created the site or app? What does it promise? When was it written or reviewed? Where does the information come from? And why does the page exist—is it selling something? Those questions do not prove that a claim is true, but they can expose gaps before a reader spends money, shares private information or changes care.

Start with who is speaking—and who gets paid

A polished page, professional video or large follower count does not identify the person responsible for a claim. Look for an author or organization, relevant credentials, an editorial or medical review process, a publication or review date, and a way to contact the publisher. Then check who owns or sponsors the page. NCCIH recommends confirming claims from a site that sells products or services through an independent source that is not making the sale. A .gov address identifies a government site, but a .org or .com ending alone does not establish expertise or independence.

A testimonial is a story, not a clinical result

Before-and-after photos and first-person success stories can be emotionally persuasive, especially for subjects such as pain, sexual health, hair loss, sleep, fitness or body image. They still do not show what usually happens, whether other treatments were involved or whether the same outcome is likely for someone else. NCCIH separates testimonials and anecdotes from evidence based on research. The Federal Trade Commission likewise says a testimonial cannot support a health benefit that the advertiser could not substantiate directly with competent and reliable scientific evidence.

Read the whole page as an advertisement might read it

Some pages imitate reporting while every useful link leads to a purchase. NCCIH flags several warning signs: a shocking headline, only positive comments, an apparent “investigation” that endorses a product, research results that sound implausibly good and links that funnel readers to a sales page. A disclosure such as “results may vary” does not automatically repair a misleading overall message. Pause and identify the actual claim—what benefit, how quickly, for whom and under what conditions—before looking for research that tested that specific claim.

Check the date, the evidence and the privacy cost

Health guidance can change, so find the page date and ask whether the cited research is current enough for the decision at hand. Open the references instead of assuming a citation supports the nearby sentence. For a site or app requesting an email address, ZIP Code, birth date, symptom history or payment details, read what it says about collection and sharing before signing up. HTTPS encrypts the connection, but it does not prove that the seller, health claim or privacy practice is trustworthy.

Use a two-source check before acting

For a wellness claim, compare the page with a relevant public-health agency, professional medical association, clinical guideline or original study. FDA maintains health-fraud information and product alerts for claims involving drugs, supplements and devices; FTC provides consumer guidance on online health products and deceptive advertising. Search the exact product or service name plus the claimed benefit, and look beyond results published by the seller. Absence from an FDA warning database is not proof that a product is safe or effective, because agencies cannot test every item on the market.

Know when online research should stop

An article can help prepare questions, not diagnose a condition or decide whether a treatment is appropriate. Do not stop a prescribed medicine, delay urgent care or substitute a massage or wellness service for medical evaluation because of a post, video or testimonial. Discuss a complementary approach with a licensed clinician who knows your health history, current medicines and goals. Call 911 for chest pain, severe trouble breathing, signs of stroke, loss of consciousness or another emergency. NOCTI is a provider-discovery platform and educational publisher; it does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment.

Save evidence and report deceptive health marketing

If a seller appears to be using a fake news page, unsupported cure promise or undisclosed paid endorsement, save the page address, screenshots, receipt and messages without continuing the purchase. Consumers can report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and product problems or suspected health-fraud products through FDA reporting channels. If money or account information was already sent, contact the payment provider promptly and review recent account activity. The goal is not to win an argument with the advertiser; it is to reduce further exposure and preserve useful details.

Sources

• NIH/NCCIH: five questions for checking health information on social media (updated August 31, 2026) ↗
• NIH/NCCIH: finding and evaluating online health information (updated August 31, 2026) ↗
• NIH/NCCIH: are you reading news or advertising? (updated August 30, 2026) ↗
• FDA: health fraud scams and product-reporting resources ↗
• FTC: buying health products and services online ↗
• FTC: health products compliance guidance on evidence and testimonials ↗