Corrections policy

Our commitment

Accuracy matters more in health writing than almost anywhere else. If something we have published is wrong, misleading or out of date, we want to know, and we will correct it promptly and visibly rather than quietly.

How to report a problem

Use the contact page.

Choose "A correction to an article" in the contact form, and please include:

• the title or web address of the article;
• the sentence or figure you believe is wrong;
• what you believe is correct, with a link to a source if you have one.

You do not need to be an expert to report a problem. If something reads as unclear or contradictory, tell us.

What happens next

1. We acknowledge it. We aim to reply within five working days.
2. We check. An editor compares the passage with the source it cites and, where needed, with the most recent guidance on the subject.
3. We decide. If you are right, we change the article. If we believe the article is accurate, we will explain why and point you to the source.
4. We record it. Any change that affects meaning is noted on the article, with the date.

The kinds of change we make

Corrections. Something stated as fact was wrong: a figure, a recommendation, a name, a date. We fix the text and add a note at the foot of the article saying what was changed and when.

Clarifications. The facts were right but the wording was unclear or could mislead. We rewrite the passage and add a note.

Updates. The article was accurate when published, but the guidance behind it has since changed. We revise it and change the "last updated" date shown at the top.

Minor edits. Fixing a typing error, a broken link or awkward phrasing does not change what the article says, so we do not add a note.

Removing an article

We remove an article only if it cannot be made accurate, or if leaving it up could cause harm. If we do, the page will say that it has been withdrawn and why, rather than simply disappearing.

What we will not do

• We will not change an accurate article because someone, including an advertiser, would prefer it said something else.
• We will not correct an article silently when the change affects its meaning.
• We will not take down an article simply because it is old; we will update it or mark it as out of date.

Questions about this policy

This policy sits alongside our editorial policy, which explains how articles are researched and checked in the first place.