Wikipedia:Wikipedia medicine standards

This page is currently inactive and is retained for historical reference.
Either the page is no longer relevant or consensus on its purpose has become unclear. To revive discussion, seek broader input via a forum such as the village pump.

This page is for working out standards referring to articles in the field of medicine and related fields.

Information about health is radically different from information in other fields. Often it is sought by concerned patients or relatives, sometimes looking for help in incurable or chronic diseases. It would be immoral and irresponsible to offer misguided or incorrect advice without proper context of nature of Wikipedia authorship.
Open, unverifiable and fluctuant medical articles content must be put in the right perspective with a kind of obligatory disclaimer.

The purpose

set standards
1. health related information must be accurate, correct and balanced
2. health related information must be based on scientific research
3. where there is doubt or inconsistency it must be clearly stated
4. opinions must be attributed
set nomenclature
ideally every statement should be based on reliable sources (references)
1. references should conform to requirements of International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
clearly state sources of information
1. reliable sources of scientific information
2. reliable sources of patient orientated information
Evidence-based medicine
articles about pharmaceuticals should (with a few exceptions like Viagra, Valium or Prozac) be named after the international name not the brand name (e.g. lorazepam not Ativan) and brand names should redirect to the proper article
remove bias and misconceptions
articles in edit war that can expose readers to potentially harmful (quackery) information should be blocked and discussion carried on elsewhere
create patient information e.g. Patient information on diabetes that can accompany scientific articles - Diabetes, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetes mellitus type 1 etc.
1. keep scientific articles readable but leave patient information strictly to specific articles. Too many medical articles suffer from a heritage of half-digested patient advisories
structure articles according to conventions (to be developed)

The obligatory disclaimer

Boilerplate disclaimer:

'''DISCLAIMER'''
:''Please remember that Wikipedia is offered for informational use only. The information is in most cases not reviewed by professionals. You are advised to contact your doctor for health-related decisions.''

See also: The Health On the Net Foundation

(see Wikipedia:Boilerplate text for other disclaimers, etc.)