General information for adults. Not medical or psychotherapeutic advice; not a substitute for examination, diagnosis or treatment.
Who is speaking, and why?
Check the provider, qualifications and funding. Are products being sold? Are advertising and information clearly separated? These details help put potential interests into context. [1]
Does the source support the claim?
A reference alone is not enough for our editorial work. Where possible, open it: Does it address the same question and population? A personal account can offer a perspective, but does not establish treatment effectiveness. [1]
Are limitations and harms explained?
Good health information discusses risks, alternatives and unanswered questions. Absolute promises of a cure, fear and pressure are warning signs. A revision date also helps you assess it. [1]
An example to question
“A study proves that X helps everyone” would make us ask: Who took part? What was the comparison? How large was the difference? Were unwanted effects recorded? These are editorial questions, not an appraisal of a particular study.
How do we approach AI?
For depression.zone, an AI summary is not an independent source. We aim to make original references accessible, compare medical claims with them and show which reviews are still pending. This article is also an editorial draft.
Five questions for your next visit
Who is behind it? What evidence is provided? Does it fit the claim? What remains uncertain? When was the content revised? If answers are missing, compare it with another independent source.
READ FURTHER & CHECK THE SOURCES
Sources and context
How should I interpret these sources?
Source notes identify the provider, their use in this article and known limitations. The source-comparison date below is not the original publication date. No update date is assumed where none is available. General findings cannot automatically be applied to an individual; independent medical review of this draft is pending.
- IQWiG: Assessing online health information (in German) ↗
Provider / domain: www.gesundheitsinformation.de
Patient information on assessing online health information; basis for the quality questions. German-language source. Accessed: 29 October 2026.
Research and source comparison: 29 October 2026. Prepared with AI assistance. Editorial responsibility: Mario V.W.B.R. Obst. Independent medical expert review is pending. Independent medical expert review has not taken place.