This page explains how the health information on varolyn.com is written and checked. It exists so that families can judge for themselves how much weight to give what they read here, and so that we can be held to a standard we have written down.
Who writes these pages
Pages are written by the Varolyn content team working with our care staff — the nurses, attendants and physiotherapists who do this work in homes across Bengaluru every day. Where a page describes something Varolyn does, it describes what our own teams actually do, in the words we would use with a family on the phone.
We do not publish a named individual doctor as the reviewer of these pages. Naming a clinician who has not personally checked a page would be a claim we could not stand behind, and we would rather say that plainly than put a name on a page for the look of it.
Where the facts come from
Where a page states a general medical fact — a reference range, a warning sign, a definition — it is checked against published guidance from bodies whose material is publicly available and citable. In practice that means:
- The World Health Organization (who.int)
- The US National Institutes of Health and MedlinePlus (nih.gov, medlineplus.gov)
- The UK National Health Service and NICE (nhs.uk, nice.org.uk)
- Recognised professional bodies, where they publish the standard on a subject
Where a page gives a number, the source is named and linked on that page so you can read it yourself. If we could not verify a figure against one of these sources, we leave it out rather than fill the gap.
Dates, and why they are on the page
Health guidance changes. Every page that carries medical information shows when it was last checked. If a page has no date, treat it as general service information rather than clinical guidance.
What this website will never do
These are hard limits, not preferences.
- We do not diagnose. Nothing here can tell you what is wrong with you or a relative.
- We do not interpret your results. A reference range on this site describes a population, not you. Your treating doctor reads your report in the context of your age, history, medicines and symptoms — we cannot and will not do that from a web page.
- We do not prescribe, or advise starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
- We do not publish guarantees or promises about recovery. We support people and help them through treatment; we do not claim outcomes.
- We do not publish invented reviews, ratings, patient photographs or case studies.
- We do not publish a price we have not confirmed.
Reference ranges, specifically
Several pages on this site list typical reference ranges for common blood tests, with the source named. Two things matter about those.
- They are ranges for a population, not a verdict on a person. A value slightly outside a printed range can be entirely unremarkable in one person and worth acting on in another.
- Every laboratory sets its own range. Ranges depend on the method and equipment used, and on age, sex, pregnancy and altitude. Always read the range printed on your own report, not one from a website.
They are published because families ask what a test is for and what the numbers on a report generally mean. They are not published so anyone can diagnose themselves.
Corrections
If something here is wrong, we want to fix it rather than defend it. Write to us through the contact page with the page and what looks incorrect. Where a correction is made to a medical statement, the review date on that page is updated.
Emergencies
Nothing on this website is a substitute for emergency care. Varolyn does not provide emergency services. If someone is seriously unwell — sudden weakness or facial drooping, difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe bleeding, sudden confusion or collapse — call 108 or go to the nearest hospital immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Is the health content on varolyn.com medically reviewed?
Content is written with Varolyn's care staff and checked against published guidance from bodies such as the WHO, the NIH and MedlinePlus, the NHS and NICE. Sources are named and linked on the page. Varolyn does not put an individual clinician's name on a page as reviewer unless that person has personally checked it.
Why does this site publish reference ranges but refuse to interpret results?
A reference range describes a healthy population and can be cited from a published source. Interpreting a result is a clinical judgement about one person, made with their age, history, symptoms and medicines in front of you. The treating doctor does that; a website cannot.
Which sources does Varolyn use for medical facts?
Published guidance from the World Health Organization, the US National Institutes of Health and MedlinePlus, the UK National Health Service and NICE, and recognised professional bodies. Where a page states a figure, the source is named and linked on that page.
How often are health pages checked?
Pages carrying medical information show the date they were last checked. If guidance from a cited source changes, the page is updated and the date is changed with it.
What should I do if I think something on the site is wrong?
Tell us through the contact page, naming the page and what looks incorrect. We will check it against the source and correct it if needed rather than leave it standing.
Questions about anything you have read here?
Call and ask. If we do not know, we will say so rather than guess.