What medically reviewed means here.
A medical review is a clinician's judgment that an article's health guidance is sound, safe, and current. This page explains who does it, what they check, and what the date on an article does and does not promise.
Why we review
Most of what we publish touches health decisions: what to eat, what to take, what a symptom might mean, when to see someone. A writer can research a topic thoroughly and still miss a drug interaction, an outdated dosage, or a group of people for whom the advice is unsafe. Medical review exists to catch that. It is a second reading by someone trained to notice what a careful writer cannot.
Who reviews
Medical reviews are performed by Dr. Josh Axe (DNM, DC, CNS) and by licensed health practitioners on the Medical Advisory Board. A reviewer works in a clinical field relevant to the article they review, and a reviewer never reviews an article they wrote. Each reviewed article names its reviewer and the date of the review at the top of the page and again at the end.
Reviewers are held to the same independence rules as writers: sponsors and product companies have no role in the review, and a review cannot be bought or influenced by a commercial relationship. Our editorial policy sets those rules out in full.
Medical Advisory Board
- Uma Naidoo, MD
- Leigh Erin Connealy, MD
- Ethan Kellum, MD
- Daniel Amen, MD
- Alejandro Junger, MD
- Taz Bhatia, MD
- Jill Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, ABoIM, IFMCP
- James B. LaValle, RPh, CCN
- Anna Cabeca, DO, FACOG
- Staci Whitman, DMD, IFMCP
- Deanna Minich, PhD, MS, CNS, FACN, FMCP
- Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS
What a medical review covers
A reviewer reads the entire article, including its reference list, and checks that:
- The guidance is safe. Dosages, durations, and methods are within ranges supported by the cited evidence and by clinical practice.
- The cautions are present. Side effects, drug and supplement interactions, and contraindications are stated, and groups who should not follow the advice — for example people who are pregnant, taking a particular medication, or managing a specific condition — are named.
- The article reflects current understanding. Claims match the current state of the research, and older findings that have since been contradicted are not presented as settled.
- The line between education and treatment is clear. The article tells readers when a symptom or situation needs a clinician rather than a home remedy, and does not encourage anyone to stop or replace prescribed treatment on their own.
- The evidence is described fairly. A reviewer can send an article back for overstating a preliminary finding as readily as for a safety problem.
A reviewer can approve an article, ask for specific changes before it publishes, or decline it. An article that fails review does not run until the problems are fixed and the reviewer has read it again.
Which articles are reviewed
Articles that make health claims — about conditions, symptoms, supplements, herbs, protocols, and remedies — are the priority for medical review. Recipes, general lifestyle pieces, news, and opinion generally are not medically reviewed, though they are still fact-checked and edited. Where an article has been medically reviewed, the reviewer’s name and the review date appear on the page. Where they do not appear, the article has not had a medical review, and we would rather you know that than assume otherwise.
Articles migrated from the earlier version of DrAxe.com carry the review information they had at the time. They are being re-reviewed on a rolling basis, starting with the most-read health topics, and each one’s review date updates when that happens.
What the review date means
“Last medically reviewed” is the date a reviewer most recently read and approved the article as a whole. It is separate from “Last updated,” which changes whenever the text is edited. A small update, such as a fixed link or a clarified sentence, does not require a fresh medical review; a change to health guidance does. When a reviewed article is substantively revised, the revision goes back for review before the new version publishes, and the review date moves with it.
Research moves on, and a review is a judgment made on a particular day. We aim to re-review high-traffic health articles periodically and whenever a significant new finding, safety warning, or guideline change affects them. If you believe an article is out of date, tell us, and we will put it in front of a reviewer.
What a review is not
A medical review means a qualified person has judged the article’s general guidance sound for a general reader. It does not mean the guidance is right for you. Reviewers have not examined you, do not know your history, and are not your clinicians. Nothing on this site — reviewed or not — is a substitute for advice from a licensed health provider who knows your situation. Please talk to your own clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement, protocol, diet, or treatment.
Questions and concerns
If you believe a reviewed article contains a safety problem, an out-of-date claim, or advice that should carry a caution it lacks, email help@draxe.com with the article’s address and what concerns you. Safety reports are read first. How corrections are made and recorded is described in the editorial policy.