How these articles are written.

Who writes them

Each article is written for Andrea Garratt, Lic Ac, BSc (Hons), MBAcC, and carries her name. Drafts may be prepared with editorial support, and Andrea reads, corrects and approves every article before it is published. She qualified in 2012, holds a postgraduate Diploma in Gynaecology, Fertility and Obstetrics, and teaches as Professional Practice Programme Leader at HSU Reading – CICM Acupuncture.

Where the information comes from

Articles draw on NHS information, NICE guidance, Cochrane reviews and peer-reviewed research, and on guidance from regulators such as the Advertising Standards Authority, the MHRA and the HFEA. The sources used are listed at the end of each article, with links where they are freely available.

What they will and won’t say

UK advertising rules, set out in the CAP Code and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, limit what acupuncturists and herbalists can claim. These articles don’t say that acupuncture or Chinese herbs treat or cure a condition unless regulators accept the evidence for it. Where the research is weak, mixed or negative, the article says so plainly.

Your GP comes first

Each article explains when to see your GP or another medical professional first, and none of them is a substitute for medical advice. Please don’t stop or change prescribed treatment without speaking to the clinician who prescribed it.

Reviews and corrections

Every article shows the date it was last reviewed. Articles are reviewed at least once a year, and sooner if the NHS or NICE guidance they rely on changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, please get in touch and it will be corrected.

Independence

The articles carry no advertising, sponsorship or affiliate links, and no one pays to be mentioned. Patient reviews quoted on this site describe people’s experience of care, not results, and are shared with their permission.