Code of Ethics

Last updated: 28 October 2026

Editorial independence

Ask Dr. Umer is owned and run by its author, Dr. Muhammad Umer Farooq, MBBS. No company, advertiser, political party or outside organisation decides what we publish. Medical content is judged only by medical evidence and by the author's clinical judgement as a practising doctor.

Conflicts of interest

• The author declares no financial relationship with any pharmaceutical

company, medical-device maker, or health-product brand.

• If that ever changes, the relationship will be declared on this page

and on every article it could affect.

• The author receives no payment from any company mentioned in any

article.

No pay-for-coverage

• We do not accept payment to write about, review, or recommend any

product, medicine, clinic, hospital or service.

• Press releases and official announcements are treated as tips, never

as publishable facts — every claim is checked against its original source before publication.

Accuracy before speed

• Being first is never worth being wrong. A news item is published

only after its key figures have been verified against at least one named source, and figures are re-checked on the day of publication.

• When we are wrong, we correct openly under the Corrections Policy

(/corrections/).

Unnamed sources

• We do not publish health claims from unnamed or anonymous sources.

Every medical fact traces to a named guideline, study, or official body. Official statements are attributed by name and date.

• The identity of any person who writes to us in confidence (for

example a patient asking a question) is never published.

Diversity of perspectives

• Health guidance differs between countries and communities. Where

guidance differs (for example between WHO, CDC and national bodies), we say so rather than presenting one view as the only view.

• Our audience is in Pakistan and abroad; articles note where advice

is specific to one country (for example emergency numbers).

Privacy

• We collect no personal health information from readers. Contact

emails are used only to reply, never shared or sold. See the Privacy Policy (/privacy/).