Fact-checking is part of the editorial process, not a badge added after publication. Writers and editors should verify claims against the strongest reasonably available source for the question being answered.
How claims are checked
We compare important factual claims with primary or authoritative material where practical. For medical topics this may include clinical guidance, peer-reviewed research, medicine regulators, and recognised health services. For UK law and policy, we prefer legislation, official government publications, regulators, and other primary public records.
What we avoid
We do not treat a seller’s description, anonymous post, product photograph, marketing page, or unsourced social-media claim as proof of identity, purity, legality, effectiveness, or safety.
Uncertainty
When reliable sources disagree, evidence is incomplete, or research is still developing, the article should explain that uncertainty rather than manufacture a definitive answer.