A Six-Question Checklist for Any Health Study You Read
Design, size, endpoint, comparator, funding, and whether it was in humans. Most claims fail at least one.
Dr. Elena Vance
Chief of Research
Oct 10, 2026 • 9 min
What the data says
6
Questions that filter most overstated health claims before you act on them.
Source: Evidence appraisal practice
First: was it randomised, or observational? Observational data can only support association, however large the sample.
Second and third: how many participants, and what exactly was measured? A biomarker change is not an outcome, and a subgroup finding is a hypothesis.
Fourth and fifth: what was the comparison, and who paid? A weak comparator flatters a result, and funding shapes which questions get asked more than it fabricates answers.
Sixth: was it in humans? Rodent and cell findings are where hypotheses come from, not where recommendations do. Anything that clears all six is worth reading closely.
Editorial note: this article summarises published research for general information. It is not medical advice. Discuss any intervention with a qualified clinician.
