Oct
01
2025
By cxgonzalez
Person typing on a laptop with floating digital screens displaying medical symbols and checklists, representing digital health records or medical data management.

What is Reliable Health Information? Here are some tips to know who and what to trust online.

Have you ever read an online article or watched a video on YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok about a health-related topic, wondering if the advice given was legitimate? Perhaps it recommended the amount of protein to consume daily or a home remedy for a specific skin rash on your leg. Maybe you listened to a podcast questioning the importance of sunscreen, or a 30-second video showing a stretch that supposedly could relieve pain in your left hip.

We now have access to a wealth of health information with just one click. But how do we know what’s true and what isn’t?

Some of this information is accurate, helpful, and easy to find. But beware: if you trust all the health information you find online and act on it, you risk getting a wrong diagnosis or following harmful treatment. The next time you see health information online or on social media, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What is the source? If the person who created the content is not a certified healthcare professional or another reliable source, do some additional research to find the same information on another website with an address ending in:
    • .gov or .gc (verified government websites)
    • .edu (educational institutions, such as universities)
    • .org (non-profit organizations presenting evidence-based research)
  2. Is the recommendation trying to sell you something? Content creators are very skilled at passing off an advertisement as advice. If the content you’re watching, reading, or listening to aims to sell a product, make sure to do your own analysis or seek the opinion of a trusted healthcare professional.
  3. Is the information up to date? Medical recommendations can change quickly as new studies and research are published. Ensure the information is current and reliable. Tip: trustworthy sites indicate the publication date or sources.
  4. What do healthcare professionals think? Never follow health advice found online without first consulting a healthcare professional or reliable resources. If you don’t have an appointment scheduled with a healthcare provider, you can always reach out to:

Resources

Health information & literacy