Our website provides you with a wealth of valuable, accurate health information for free. But have you ever wondered who helps us provide all this for free, and how it works? It costs us a lot to bring you such high-quality, award-winning articles, videos, and other information. So, our sponsors and advertisers help us cover this cost. In this article, we are going to tell you clearly how to tell the difference between sponsored content published on our website and articles written by our own medical team. Because we value the trust you have in us, we are explaining all this to you openly.
The difference between a sponsored ad and our own article
Simply put, there are two main types of content you'll see on our website. One is Editorial Content, which is written by our own doctors, writers, and experts and is completely under the control of our editorial team. The other is Sponsored Content, which is sponsored by a company or product and created under their own control.
We use clear labels to help you easily distinguish between the two, because you have every right to know what kind of article you are reading and make your own decisions about it.
Importantly, even if a sponsored article appears on our website, it is not subject to our Editorial Policy. The accuracy and responsibility for the information contained in that article lies entirely with that sponsor. We do not verify the medical accuracy of such articles.
| The label you see | What does that mean? |
|---|---|
| "From our sponsor" | This means that this content is entirely created and controlled by the relevant sponsoring organization. |
| "Thank you" (Sponsored by) | This is similar to the previous one. This article or advertisement is financially sponsored by the named organization. |
| "Promoted by" | This refers to content that specifically promotes a product or service. |
| "Provided by [Sponsor's Name]" | This directly states who owns and provides this content. |
Also learn about links in sponsored content.
A sponsor's article may contain links that take you to their own website. We will inform you that if you click on such a link, you will be leaving our website and going to another website. We also make sure to include a disclaimer at the end of a sponsor's article that states, "We do not endorse any product, service, or treatment mentioned in this article."
Opportunities for other institutions to fund our own articles
Now you might be wondering, "So, do you get paid to write your own articles?" Yes, sometimes that happens. Here's how it works.
Imagine a company that runs a diabetes awareness program and we were to partner with them to write a series of articles about diabetes. Then, even though they would fund the topic, the articles would be written entirely by our own medical team, following our own strict editorial policy. That means the funding agency would have no influence on the content of the article.
In these cases, we will include a label such as "Brought to you by" or "Funded by" along with the name of the organization in question. But remember, this label does not in any way compromise the independence or accuracy of the article.
What is "Educational Collaboration"?
This is another special occasion. Sometimes we work with government agencies (for example, the Ministry of Health) or non-profit organizations whose goal is to educate the public about health.
At times like these, we partner with these organizations to create content on a specific health topic. These articles are reviewed by the organization and then approved by our editorial team. These, like our own articles, are subject to the same rules that require accuracy, balance, and impartiality.
At the top of an article like this, "Educational Collaboration"We mention the name of the relevant organization with the words. This will help you understand that this article was created by a collaboration of two trusted organizations.
Our main goal is to always provide you with accurate, reliable health information. By openly explaining how we operate on that journey, we honor the trust you place in us.
Take-Home Message
- Our website is able to provide you with free health information because of sponsors and advertisements.
- We always use clear labels to distinguish between sponsored content and editorial content written by our own team.
- The information contained in a sponsored article is the sole responsibility of the sponsor. We do not guarantee its medical accuracy.
- Even if another organization funds an article, the article is written entirely by our medical team, according to our own strict rules. The funder has no influence over its content.
- Maintaining your trust is our top priority, so we communicate everything to you openly and transparently.
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