Editorial Policy

Sources

Clinical claims are drawn from current guidelines of US and international bodies, including the US Preventive Services Task Force, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, the American Cancer Society, KDIGO for kidney disease, the American College of Gastroenterology, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with peer reviewed studies where guidelines are silent. Where a guideline has changed recently, we say which version we follow.

Ranges and numbers

Reference ranges vary between laboratories and between guidelines. We give the most widely used figures and note where a stricter or looser range exists. A number on this site is a starting point for a conversation, not a diagnostic threshold for any individual.

Plain language

We write in short sentences without jargon where a plain word exists. Where a technical term is unavoidable, we define it on first use.

Products and money

Content does not contain product endorsements or affiliate links. If that policy changes, every affected page will disclose it at the top, and this page will be updated first.

Review and updates

Each piece is checked against current guidelines at publication and shows its publication date. We review pieces when a relevant guideline changes and note the update date on the page.

Corrections

If you find an error, write to editors@ribboncheckup.org with the page and the correction. Substantive corrections are made on the page with a note.

Ownership

Ribbon Checkup (ribboncheckup.org) is published by Ribbon Health Press, a Scanbase, Inc. company. Scanbase also operates ribboncheckup.com, which sells Ribbon Checkup home urine tests. The two sites are separate. This site does not sell products, does not carry affiliate links, and does not favor Scanbase products in its content. Where a piece discusses a category of test that Scanbase sells, that fact is stated on the page.