Methodology

Medications are selected based on three criteria: prescription volume in the United States (using CMS and IQVIA data), public interest (search volume and media coverage), and clinical significance (drugs with notable safety profiles, black box warnings, or widespread off-label use).

We prioritize medications where funding transparency and conflict-of-interest disclosure are most relevant to patient decision-making. We do not accept payment from pharmaceutical companies to include or exclude any medication.

Supplements and peptides are included when they are commonly used alongside or as alternatives to prescription medications, and when meaningful clinical evidence exists to evaluate.

EvidentMeds draws from the following primary sources:

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — Approved labeling, black box warnings, prescribing information, and safety communications via DailyMed.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Publicly funded clinical trial results, National Library of Medicine resources, and PubMed-indexed peer-reviewed literature.
• ClinicalTrials.gov — Trial registration data including study design, funding source, enrollment, status, and results. All referenced trials are linked directly to their registry entries.
• CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act) — Manufacturer-to-physician payment disclosures as reported under federal law via openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
• Cochrane Library — Systematic reviews and the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB-2) assessment framework used to evaluate individual trial quality.
• Peer-reviewed literature — Published meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies indexed in PubMed. We cite specific studies where possible rather than making unsourced claims.

We do not use pharmaceutical company marketing materials, press releases, or sponsored content as primary sources. When manufacturer-funded data is referenced, the funding source is disclosed.

Every medication page discloses the funding source of referenced clinical trials. Conflicts are classified into three categories:

Industry funding does not automatically invalidate a trial. FDA approval requires the same evidentiary standard regardless of funding source. However, systematic reviews have consistently shown that industry-funded trials are more likely to report favorable outcomes, use comparator doses that disadvantage alternatives, and emphasize relative rather than absolute risk reductions.

Each referenced clinical trial carries a bias risk assessment based on the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB-2) framework. Assessments evaluate five domains:

1. Randomization process — Was allocation adequately concealed? Was randomization truly random?
2. Deviations from intended interventions — Were investigators or participants unblinded? Did the sponsor influence protocol changes?
3. Missing outcome data — Was dropout differential between groups? Were appropriate imputation methods used?
4. Measurement of the outcome — Were assessors blinded? Were primary endpoints objective and pre-specified?
5. Selection of the reported result — Were all pre-registered endpoints reported? Was publication timing controlled by the sponsor?

Each domain receives a rating of Low, Some Concerns, or High risk. The overall trial rating reflects the most concerning domain score, consistent with Cochrane guidance.

For the full RoB-2 methodology, see the Cochrane RoB-2 tool documentation.

All medication, supplement, and peptide pages carry a version stamp (e.g., "Version 2025-04 · Last Reviewed April 1, 2025") indicating when the content was last reviewed for accuracy.

Content is reviewed on the following schedule:

• Quarterly review — All medication pages are reviewed at minimum every three months for FDA safety updates, new trial results, pricing changes, and corrections.
• Event-driven updates — Pages are updated immediately when the FDA issues new safety communications, black box warnings, or approval changes for a listed medication.
• Annual full audit — Once per year, every page undergoes a comprehensive audit of all data points, links, and citations.

The version stamp on each page reflects the most recent review date. If a page's information predates a significant development, contact us at info@solutions2wellness.org.

EvidentMeds is published by Solutions 2 Wellness, LLC. We operate under the following commitments:

• No pharmaceutical funding — We do not accept sponsorship, advertising revenue, or affiliate payments from pharmaceutical companies, drug manufacturers, or pharmacy benefit managers.
• No affiliate links — Links to external sources (ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, FDA, CMS) are informational only. We receive no compensation for clicks or referrals.
• Corrections policy — Factual errors are corrected promptly upon identification. Material corrections are noted on the affected page with the updated review date.
• Contact — Questions about our methodology, data accuracy, or conflict-of-interest policies can be directed to info@solutions2wellness.org.