Evidence

Sources & evidence policy

A search term is not evidence. HerSensi uses search behaviour to understand questions, then uses appropriate sources to answer them.

Preferred sources

For health claims we prioritise government health agencies, national health services, professional medical organisations, clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed research. For cosmetic ingredients we prefer regulators and specialist professional bodies. Product claims must be supported by the actual formula, label or reliable product evidence.

What user stories are for

Forums, comments and social posts can reveal language, embarrassment, practical problems and missing questions. They are not used as the factual basis for diagnosis, treatment or safety claims.

Uncertainty is part of the answer

If several conditions can produce similar symptoms, we say so. We do not turn weak evidence into certainty because a definitive headline would rank better.

Source dates and freshness

Higher-risk pages should be rechecked when guidance changes and on a scheduled review cycle. A visible “updated” date should reflect a substantive review, not an automatic timestamp change.

Product recommendations and evidence

Owned products and affiliate products do not receive a lower evidence threshold. If a product is not necessary, the answer should be allowed to say that.