Start with what you know

MedlinePlus advises against sharing social-media health information when you are unsure it is trustworthy. What if you notice the uncertainty after sending a link?

Begin with the message you actually sent. Find the original conversation and identify the link or title. In a private note, record what you have not established, such as who wrote the page or where its advice came from.

Keep an unanswered question separate from a demonstrated error. Not being able to verify a claim does not, by itself, prove the claim false.

Give your update three parts

Write a short follow-up that includes:

  • A reference: identify your earlier message or link.
  • An explanation: state the specific point you could not verify.
  • A withdrawal: make clear that you are withdrawing your recommendation.

You do not need to repeat the questionable advice in order to identify the message. Avoid turning your update into another confident health claim.

If you have found a documented correction, distinguish what that source establishes from questions that remain unanswered. Keep its source link with the explanation.

Try an everyday example

In this invented example, Sam previously shared a general wellbeing page in a group conversation. On returning to the page, Sam cannot establish who wrote it or where its advice originated.

Sam replies to the original message: "An update on the link I shared earlier: I have not been able to check who wrote that page or what its advice is based on. I am withdrawing my recommendation of it."

This explains Sam's uncertainty without claiming that the page has been proved false or offering replacement medical advice.

Keep the update connected

Where possible, put the follow-up in the same conversation and clearly connect it to the earlier message. If you can edit the original, label the update so readers can understand what changed.

You cannot assume that everyone has seen a correction. Be accurate about the people or conversations you have reached.

MedlinePlus recommends discussing health information with a healthcare provider before using it for personal health decisions. A follow-up message repairs your recommendation; it does not assess anyone's medical care.