PlusGBUK publishes educational material about drugs, medicines, health, harm reduction and regulation. The subject matter requires more care than ordinary lifestyle content. Our editorial process is designed around accuracy, proportion and transparency rather than volume.
How we choose topics
We publish material that answers genuine reader questions, explains a meaningful health or regulatory issue, corrects a common misunderstanding, or adds useful context to an area where online information is poor. Search demand may help us identify questions, but it does not determine the answer. We do not change medical or legal conclusions to fit a keyword.
Writing standards
Writers are expected to understand the question before drafting, use primary or authoritative sources where reasonably available, distinguish facts from interpretation and explain why important details matter. We avoid sensational descriptions, moral judgement and language that glamorises risky behaviour.
Claims about effects, risks, interactions, dependence, treatment, law or regulation must have an appropriate evidential basis. Where research is mixed, limited or based mainly on observational data, the article should say so plainly.
Medical content
Medical content must distinguish prescribed or supervised clinical use from unregulated or illicit use. It must not imply that appearance confirms the identity, purity or strength of an unknown substance. Writers must not diagnose readers or present general information as personalised treatment advice.
Legal and regulatory content
Laws differ between countries and can change. Legal articles should identify the jurisdiction being discussed, prefer official legislation or government guidance where available and give a date or context when the legal position may change over time. PlusGBUK does not provide legal advice.
Clinical review
Articles containing significant medical claims may be reviewed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. A review is intended to check clinical accuracy, balance, terminology, important omissions and the interpretation of evidence. It does not convert a general article into individual medical advice.
See our Medical Review Process for more detail.
Sources and references
We prefer original research, official guidance, regulators and recognised medical or scientific organisations. Commercial websites are not used as the main authority for a medical claim when a stronger primary or official source is available.
Our Sources Policy explains the hierarchy in more detail.
Updates and corrections
Material may be updated when evidence, guidance, regulation or the legal position changes. Material corrections should be made transparently. Readers can report a suspected factual error to [email protected].
Commercial influence
Advertising, sponsorship or affiliate relationships must not determine an editorial conclusion. Any commercial relationship that could reasonably affect how a reader interprets a page should be disclosed. See Advertising & Funding and Editorial Independence.