 | This page in a nutshell: The reference desk is not an appropriate place to request or provide medical advice, including any diagnosis, prognosis, or suggested treatment. General factual questions about medical topics are acceptable. |
This page documents a guideline for the reference desk. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should attempt to follow, though it is best treated with common sense, and occasional exceptions may apply. Substantive edits should reflect consensus; when in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.
The reference desk is not an appropriate place to request medical, legal, or other professional advice, including any kind of medical diagnosis or prognosis. Questions that appear to be soliciting medical advice, and responses that appear to provide it, should be dealt with as described below.
Why this guideline exists[edit source]
Reference desk editors are volunteer contributors. They are not doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or any other kind of qualified medical professional. Bharatpedia's own disclaimers make this explicit:
- Bharatpedia:Medical disclaimer states that "Bharatpedia does not give medical advice", that "no warranty is made that any of the articles are accurate", and that "the medical information provided on Bharatpedia is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional".
- Bharatpedia:General disclaimer states that "if you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area".
- Bharatpedia:Risk disclaimer states that "if you need specific advice... please seek a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area".
- Bharatpedia:Content disclaimer states that "Bharatpedia is not a substitute for seeking the help of a professional".
The purpose of this guideline is to avoid harm to readers. Advice given on the reference desk may be dangerous in itself, or may discourage a reader from consulting a qualified professional when they should.
What this guideline applies to[edit source]
Any question that solicits a diagnosis, a prognosis, or a suggested treatment, or any response that provides them, is considered inappropriate for the reference desk.
Note that a question may be about a medical topic without necessarily seeking medical advice. "What is sleep apnea?" is acceptable. "Do I have sleep apnea?" is not.
The distinction in practice[edit source]
The difference between acceptable and unacceptable turns on whether a complete answer requires interpretation of an actual person's condition.
If a complete answer can be given without interpreting the condition of any specific person, the question is acceptable. If an interpretation of a specific person's condition is necessary to answer completely, the question is asking for diagnosis or treatment advice, and is not acceptable.
Consider these two questions:
I have a persistent cough. Can that be caused by heartburn?
This question cannot be answered completely without interpreting the questioner's own condition. It should be dealt with as described below.
Is heartburn a common cause of a persistent cough?
This is a request for general information, which can be answered from published sources. It is acceptable, provided the response does not attempt to diagnose or suggest treatment for the questioner.
An answer to the second question would be inappropriate if it read:
I've had heartburn with my cough. You should try drinking warm honey. It works great!
This moves from general information to personal advice, and is prohibited.
Distinguishing medical information from medical advice[edit source]
Acceptable[edit source]
- Questions about what a disease or condition is.
- Questions about the general causes, symptoms, or prevalence of a condition.
- Questions about how a drug or treatment works in general.
- Questions about medical history, terminology, or research.
- Questions about what reliable sources say on a medical topic.
Not acceptable[edit source]
- Questions asking what condition the questioner has, or might have.
- Questions asking what a particular symptom means in the questioner's case.
- Questions asking what treatment the questioner should use.
- Questions asking whether the questioner should stop or change a prescribed medication.
- Questions asking for a prognosis or life expectancy.
- Responses that interpret a specific person's condition.
- Responses that recommend a specific treatment for a specific person.
- Responses that advise against seeing a doctor.
Borderline cases[edit source]
Some questions fall between the two. Where a question is ambiguous, the safest course is to answer the general, factual part and decline the personal part, explaining why. For example:
I've been having headaches. Should I be worried?
A response might say: "I can't advise on your individual situation, but here is what reliable sources say about headache as a symptom, and about when headaches are considered a reason to seek medical attention." That provides useful general information without diagnosing or treating.
Responding to questions that ask for medical advice[edit source]
Generally speaking, responses are more likely to be sanctioned than questions. The purpose is to minimise disruption: editors may disagree over whether a question is seeking medical advice, and removing a whole question is discouraging for new contributors. Most of the time, therefore, the responsibility lies with respondents not to give medical advice, regardless of what the question asks.
When a question appears to seek medical advice, respondents should:
- Not answer the personal part. Do not diagnose, do not suggest treatment, and do not offer a prognosis.
- Link to the relevant disclaimer. At minimum, responses to such questions should link to Bharatpedia:Medical disclaimer.
- Answer the general part if there is one. If the question also asks something that can be answered from sources, answer that part.
- Explain the limitation briefly. A short note such as "I can't give medical advice, but here is some general information" is usually sufficient. There is no need to lecture.
- Suggest the appropriate course. Where the question suggests a real health concern, it is appropriate to say that a qualified healthcare professional should be consulted.
What not to do[edit source]
- Do not remove the question outright unless it is clearly and seriously inappropriate. Removal is discouraged.
- Do not mock the questioner for asking.
- Do not give the advice "just in case" or "off the record".
- Do not provide personal anecdotes as a substitute for medical information.
- Do not tell the questioner that they do not need to see a doctor.
Related issues[edit source]
Legal advice[edit source]
The same principle applies to legal advice. General information about the law is acceptable; advice about a specific case is not. Law varies by jurisdiction, is full of exceptions, and cannot be applied to an individual's situation by a volunteer on a reference desk.
Veterinary advice[edit source]
The guideline extends to animal health. Advice on treating a specific animal is not appropriate. General questions about animal biology, disease, or veterinary science are acceptable.
Mental health[edit source]
Questions about mental health conditions may be answered at the level of general information. Advice on managing a specific person's mental health, or on whether a specific person needs treatment, is not appropriate. Where a question suggests a risk of harm, respondents should encourage the questioner to contact a qualified professional or an appropriate helpline.
Drug dosages[edit source]
Questions asking for a specific dosage for a specific person are not acceptable. General information about how a drug is typically dosed, as documented in reliable sources, may be provided.
Enforcement[edit source]
Repeatedly providing medical advice after being asked to stop may be treated as disruptive editing. Persistent problems should be reported at the administrators' noticeboard.
Where a question is removed for breaching this guideline, a brief note explaining the removal should be left in its place, unless the content itself is unsuitable to remain on the page.