Editorial methodology

How we grade evidence.

Every rating answers one question: how confident should a reader be that the stated benefit is supported by the available evidence?

Last updated

Source standard

Claims must lead back to evidence.

Each library article uses at least 5 relevant sources. We prioritize systematic reviews, randomized trials, major clinical guidelines, regulatory documents, and authoritative institutional sources. Citations sit beside the claims they support, including benefits and cautions.

Evidence dimensions

What every review assesses

01

Clinical relevance

How directly the evidence measures meaningful outcomes in the people and use case being discussed.

02

Study quality

The rigor, size, duration, consistency, and independent replication of the available research.

03

Safety data

How well adverse effects, contraindications, interactions, and longer-term risks are characterized in humans.

A–E scale

The overall rating

The grade is editorial judgment, not a treatment recommendation, safety guarantee, or mechanical average. Strong trials can support an E rating when they fail to establish the claimed benefit.

A

Strong High confidence

Consistent, clinically meaningful support from multiple high-quality human studies, with enough safety evidence to understand the main tradeoffs.

B

Moderate Moderate confidence

Credible human evidence supports the intervention, but important limitations, inconsistency, or unanswered safety questions remain.

C

Emerging Emerging evidence

Early human findings are promising, but the evidence is limited, indirect, short-term, or not yet independently replicated.

D

Experimental Experimental

Evidence is primarily preclinical or exploratory, so benefits, dosing, and safety cannot yet be established for routine human use.

E

Insufficient Insufficient

Available evidence does not establish the claimed benefit. This can include well-designed studies with null or conflicting results.

Conservative interpretation

We distinguish mechanisms, associations, biomarkers, and clinical outcomes. Animal or cell findings are never presented as demonstrated human benefit.

Benefits and harms

Limitations, null results, interactions, contraindications, and safety signals receive the same attention as favorable findings.

Meaningful updates

Updated dates change only after substantive evidence or content changes—not cosmetic edits or attempts to make an article appear fresh.

Maintenance records

Checks are visible, and reviews remain accountable.

Automated monitoring flags source links that cannot be reached, but it does not decide whether evidence is valid. Substantive source, claim, safety, and rating changes are recorded in the public change log. Completed evidence audits are also recorded internally, including reviews that require no published change. Change log.

Corrections

Know of evidence we should review?

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