How we research, what we get right, and who pays for it
Health Choice UK is an independent consumer-health watchdog. We explain how to choose supplements, self-monitoring devices and home-care tools — we never sell them and never take a cut. This page sets out exactly how our guides are sourced, how we fix mistakes, and how we keep the lights on without compromising you.
We are reader-first, not retailer-first. Health Choice UK takes no commission, no affiliate fees and no payment from any manufacturer, pharmacy or retailer in exchange for coverage or a favourable verdict. We do not run sponsored guides, and brands cannot pay to be reviewed, recommended or removed.
Our work is supported by independent grant funding and member contributions in the spirit of the original Consumers for Health Choice campaign — a real UK movement for consumer access to vitamins and supplements and the right to make informed, self-directed health decisions. Any future funding source that could create a conflict of interest will be declared in plain sight, on the relevant guide and here.
How we source every claim
We are evidence-led and plain-speaking. Where a guide makes a factual or numerical claim, it is built on recognised UK sources — not marketing copy.
We start with official UK guidance
NHS, NICE and the UK Health Security Agency for prevalence, symptoms and what good care looks like — for example, the NHS estimate that around 1 in 4 UK adults have high blood pressure, many of them undiagnosed.
We check the device and product standards
For self-monitoring kit we point to recognised validation: blood pressure monitors validated to ISO 81060-2 and listed by the British & Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS); blood glucose meters meeting ISO 15197:2013 (≥95% of readings within ±15% or ±0.83 mmol/L).
We follow the regulator
The MHRA regulates medicines and medical devices in the UK, and runs the Yellow Card scheme — open since 1963, with over 1.3 million reports — for anyone to report a side effect or a faulty device. We signpost it wherever it's relevant.
We weigh nutrition evidence carefully
For vitamins, minerals and supplements we lean on SACN advice and UK Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs), peer-reviewed research and Which?-style independent testing — never a brand's own health claims.
We separate fact from judgement
Numbers are cited to a source. Our 'verdicts' are clearly our independent opinion, formed from that evidence — and we tell you what we'd watch out for, not just what we like.
What you'll always find in a Health Choice guide
Every guide is held to the same standard so you can trust it at a glance.
Categories, not named brands
On our review guides we compare types and the criteria that matter — accuracy, fit, ease of use, cost — rather than pushing a specific product.
Dated and reviewed
Guides carry a 'last reviewed' date and are revisited when guidance or standards change.
A clear 'this is not medical advice' line
We're educational. For any personal decision we signpost the NHS, a GP or a pharmacist.
Sources you can check
Where a figure appears, the source — NHS, NICE, MHRA, SACN, BIHS or Which? — is named so you can verify it yourself.
Our corrections policy
We try hard to get things right, and we own it when we don't. If a guide contains a factual error, an out-of-date figure, or a claim that no longer reflects current NHS, NICE or MHRA guidance, we correct it promptly and note that a correction was made.
Spotted something wrong? Tell us via our contact page and select 'A correction'. Material corrections are logged with the date and a short note of what changed, so the record stays honest. We'd rather be corrected than be wrong in public.
Health Choice UK provides general, educational information to help you make better-informed choices. It is not a diagnosis, a prescription, or a substitute for professional care. Always speak to your GP, pharmacist or the NHS before starting a supplement, changing medication, or relying on a home test or monitoring device for a clinical decision. In an emergency, call 999; for urgent advice, call NHS 111.
Editorial standards: your questions
Do brands pay you to review or recommend their products?
No. We take no payment, commission or affiliate fee from any manufacturer, pharmacy or retailer, and brands cannot pay to be covered, recommended or removed. That independence is the whole point of a watchdog.
Why don't your review guides name specific products?
In our authority guides we deliberately review categories and the criteria that matter — accuracy, validation, fit, ease of use and typical cost — rather than naming products. It keeps the advice durable, even-handed and genuinely useful, instead of becoming a shopping list.
How do I know a blood pressure monitor or glucose meter is accurate?
Look for independent validation, not marketing claims. For BP monitors, check the British & Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS) validated list and devices tested to ISO 81060-2; for glucose meters, look for ISO 15197:2013 compliance. We explain how to read these in our monitoring guides.
Where should I report a faulty device or a side effect?
Use the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk — it's open to the public and exists exactly for this. For anything affecting your own health, also speak to your GP or pharmacist.
Who funds Health Choice UK?
Independent grant funding and member contributions, in the tradition of the Consumers for Health Choice campaign. We don't run sponsored content, and any funding that could create a conflict of interest is declared openly.
Independent guidance you can actually trust
No selling, no commission, no hype — just clear, evidence-led help with the choices that matter for your health. Start with a guide, or tell us where we can do better.