Editorial Standards & Quality Guidelines

Editorial Standards

How ZayedMD creates, reviews, and maintains the accuracy of its medical content.

Our Commitment

ZayedMD is a physician-led medical publication. Every article is written or reviewed by
Dr. Ahmed Zayed, MD, a licensed physician and clinical AI specialist.
We hold ourselves to the same evidence standards expected of peer-reviewed medical communication.

Content Creation Process

1. Topic Selection — Topics are selected based on clinical relevance, search demand,
   and whether ZayedMD can add genuine physician perspective that readers cannot get elsewhere.
2. Research — Every article begins with a review of primary sources: peer-reviewed
   journals (PubMed, NEJM, Lancet, JAMA, BMJ), official agency reports (FDA, WHO, CDC, NIH),
   and clinical trial registries.
3. Drafting — Articles may use AI-assisted writing tools for initial drafting.
   All AI-generated content undergoes full physician review and editing before publication.
4. Physician Review — Dr. Zayed reviews every article for:
   • Medical accuracy of all claims
   • Appropriate citation of evidence
   • Balanced reporting of benefits AND limitations
   • Responsible patient guidance (no unsupported treatment recommendations)
   • Absence of hallucinated or fabricated references
5. Quality Gates — Articles must pass originality checks (AI detection < 10%,
   plagiarism < 10%) before publication.
6. Publication — Only articles that pass physician review and quality gates are published.

What We Will Not Publish

• Medical claims without supporting evidence from reputable sources
• Individualized medical advice or treatment recommendations
• Content that exaggerates study results or minimizes known risks
• Unverified references or fabricated study citations
• Content that has not been reviewed by a physician
• Sponsored content disguised as editorial (all sponsorships are clearly disclosed)

Sources We Trust

ZayedMD prioritizes the following source types, in order of authority:

1. Primary sources: Peer-reviewed journals, clinical trial registries, FDA filings, WHO/CDC/NIH official communications
2. Secondary sources: Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical practice guidelines from recognized medical societies
3. Tertiary sources: Medical textbooks, established medical databases (UpToDate, DynaMed)
4. News sources: STAT News, Reuters Health, BMJ News — used for context, not as primary evidence

Corrections Policy

We take accuracy seriously. If we discover an error in a published article — or if a reader
reports one — we follow this process:

• Minor corrections (typos, formatting): Fixed immediately, no notice required.
• Factual corrections (data errors, misattributed claims): The article is updated with a
  visible correction notice at the top, including the date and nature of the correction.
• Significant errors (materially incorrect medical information): The article is immediately
  unpublished, corrected, physician-re-reviewed, and republished with a prominent correction notice.

To report an error, contact us at [email protected].

AI Disclosure

ZayedMD uses artificial intelligence tools to assist with research aggregation, initial drafting,
image generation, and SEO optimization. We believe in transparency about AI use:

• AI tools may generate initial drafts, which are then substantially edited and reviewed by Dr. Zayed
• AI-generated images are labeled as such
• All medical claims, references, and patient guidance are verified by a physician regardless of how the initial draft was produced
• We use AI detection tools to ensure our published content reads as physician-authored, not machine-generated

Advertising and Conflicts of Interest

• Display advertising is served by third-party ad networks and is clearly distinguishable from editorial content
• Affiliate links are disclosed where present, typically in product review articles
• Sponsored content, if any, is clearly marked as “Sponsored” and follows the same editorial review process
• Editorial decisions are never influenced by advertising relationships

Bilingual Publishing

ZayedMD publishes in English and Arabic. Arabic translations undergo the same physician review
process as English originals. Medical terminology is maintained in both languages with
cross-references where helpful.

Contact

Questions about our editorial standards? Contact [email protected].