Trusted Sources for Evidence-Based Health Information

Since our current administration has compromised U.S. federal public health agencies and institutions, I’ve been looking elsewhere for evidence-based health information. This isn’t the first time. In the early days of the pandemic, when this same administration was lacking in communication and slow to act, I started keeping a playbook of trusted voices and organizations.

That list has grown, and I continue to refine it. These are the places I look when I need clarity, grounded science, and perspectives. Especially those that bring people together instead of pushing them further apart.

International & National Advisory Groups

• World Health Organization (WHO) – Global public health leader with up-to-date disease surveillance, vaccine guidance, and health policy.
• Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization – Evidence-based vaccine guidance for Canadian providers and the public.
• UK’s National Health Service (NHS) – Clear, patient-focused health advice across conditions, treatments, and prevention.
• EU Vaccination Information Portal – Transparent vaccination facts from the European Union.

Independent U.S. Professional Groups

When federal messaging is unstable, these groups step in with their own recommendations:

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)
• American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
• American College of Physicians (ACP)

Nonprofits & Research Initiatives

• Immunize.org – A nonprofit dedicated to accessible vaccine education.
• The Vaccine Integrity Project – Reviewing over 16,000 studies to strengthen evidence-based vaccine recommendations.
• Why Should I Trust You? – An initiative that looks at the breakdown in trust for science and public health, and creates space to bring people with differing viewpoints together in a non-combative way.

Independent Media & Expert Platforms

• Health Policy Watch – Real-time reporting on global health policy and systems.
• This Week in Virology – In-depth discussions on viruses and public health with top scientists.
• Your Local Epidemiologist – Accessible, data-driven breakdowns of epidemiology and public health trends.

Podcasts & Journals Worth Following

• The BMJ (British Medical Journal): Peer-reviewed medical journal that isn’t afraid to critique poor policy or ignored evidence.
• House of Pod: Dr. Kaveh Hoda uses humor and critical thinking to unpack medicine and culture.
• JOSPT Insights Podcast: Focuses on rehabilitation, physical therapy, and movement science.
• JAMA Podcast: Timely medical updates from the Journal of the American Medical Association.
• The Rub Podcast (Healwell): Conversations about massage therapy, healthcare, and social justice.
• Ruth Werner – Massage therapists know her as the Pathology Queen. But she’s no monarch—she uses clinical reasoning and evidence-based resources to teach about pathology and answer questions through her I Have A Client Who podcast.
• AMA Update: Daily updates from the American Medical Association.
• The Dose with Dr. Joel Bervell: Addresses bias and equity in medicine.
• Collaborative Connections Podcast (S4OM): Focuses on oncology massage and integrative health.
• Pain Matters Podcast (AAPM): Explores pain management from both expert and patient perspectives.

Why Evidence-Informed Care Matters to Me

Being evidence-informed isn’t just a phrase I use, it’s central to how I practice and how I connect with my client and their health, wellness and fitness goals. I rely on current, peer-reviewed research and trusted professional guidelines when making decisions in my massage and mobility work.

This focus on evidence shows up throughout my writing, including:

• An Evidence-Informed Approach to Manual Lymphatic Drainage, breaking down what research really says about MLD and swelling.
• Massage and the Stress Response, exploring how massage interacts with the nervous system, backed by evidence, not myths.
• Massage for Scar Management: Timing After Breast Surgery, discussing when massage may or may not be appropriate, with references to my training and oncology guidelines.

My goal is always the same: to cut through misinformation, stay within my professional scope of practice, and share what’s grounded in science in a way that’s approachable and supportive.

Closing Thought

Misinformation thrives in the gaps left when trust in public health breaks down. That’s why I return to these resources and why I bring the same evidence-based care into my practice, whether I’m working with clients in the studio or writing about health online.

If you’re feeling uncertain about where to turn, this list can be a starting point for finding reliable, science-based health information outside of federal institutions.

Drop me a message and let me know your thoughts on the list and what’s missing!