Editorial Standards

Our Commitment

MesoWatch publishes independent, evidence-based health information for people with mesothelioma and their families. Every editorial decision starts with one question: does this help someone making real decisions about their care?

The answer shapes what we cover, how we source it, and when we update it.

How We Create Content

How we research a story

Every article is researched against authoritative sources, in this order of priority: peer-reviewed journals indexed on PubMed; federal agencies including NCI, NIH, CDC, EPA, and OSHA; clinical trial records on ClinicalTrials.gov; academic medical centers including Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson, and Memorial Sloan Kettering; and primary source documents such as FDA approvals and EPA regulations. Secondary coverage is checked against the primary source before we cite anything.

How we write

Our writers specialize in oncology and follow a style guide built on four rules: claims must be evidence-based, language must be clear without dumbing anything down, the tone must respect the reader's situation, and every source must be linked so the reader can verify the claim directly.

How we verify before publishing

Before a story goes live, three checks run in sequence. First, every statistic and medical claim is matched against its primary source. Next, an editor reads the copy end-to-end for accuracy and consistency. Finally, every citation is tested to confirm the link still resolves to the cited document. A story that fails any check is sent back, not shipped.

Sourcing Standards

Which sources we cite first

Primary sources come first whenever they exist. In practice that means original research in peer-reviewed journals, official data and statements from federal agencies, clinical trial records on ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA approval documents or drug labels. The goal is to let the reader trace any claim back one click.

When we use secondary sources

If we cite secondary coverage, we verify the underlying claim against the primary source and show the chain of attribution. A wire-service summary never stands in for the document it summarizes.

Sources we will not cite

• Anonymous sources for medical claims
• Press releases without independent verification
• Social media as a primary source
• Other health websites without verifying their sources
• Outdated studies when newer research is available

Content Dating

We display multiple dates to help you assess content currency:

Update Schedule

• Treatment pages: Reviewed quarterly
• Statistics pages: Updated annually or when new data releases
• News articles: Updated as developments occur
• Evergreen guides: Reviewed annually

Corrections Policy

We take accuracy seriously. When we discover an error:

• Minor corrections (typos, formatting) are made immediately without notation
• Factual corrections include a note at the bottom of the article
• Significant corrections include an editor's note explaining the change
• If an article contains material errors, we may remove it pending review

Independence & Disclosure

How editorial stays independent

Content is produced separately from any commercial relationship the site holds. Advertisers and sponsors do not review copy, suggest topics, or see stories before they run. The editorial team and the business side operate on separate workflows.

How we handle advertising

Paid placements are always labeled as "Advertisement" or "Sponsored." We don't accept payment for editorial coverage, and any affiliate relationship that affects a page is disclosed on that page. The specific practices we rule out are listed below.

• Sell editorial coverage or content placement
• Allow advertisers to review content before publication
• Create content to promote specific legal services
• Accept compensation for attorney referrals