Yes, Mayo Clinic journal articles are peer reviewed, but consumer health pages are medically reviewed, not journal-peer-reviewed.
Why This Question Comes Up
People search Mayo Clinic every day for reliable health information. But not every page on its site goes through the same vetting. This guide explains what counts as peer review, what Mayo Clinic publishes in journals, how its patient education pages are checked, and how you can judge a page you land on. By the end, you’ll know when you’re reading work that has been reviewed by independent experts, and when you’re reading information that has been medically edited for clarity and accuracy.
What Types Of Mayo Content Exist
When you hear “Mayo Clinic,” you might be looking at one of several content types. The table below lays out the core differences so you can tell at a glance.
| Content Type | Who Reviews | Peer-Reviewed? |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific journal article (Proceedings) | External reviewers and journal editors | Yes |
| Consumer health page (conditions, symptoms) | Editorial team plus Mayo medical editors | No (medical review only) |
| News release or blog | Communications staff; subject expert as needed | No |
Peer Review Versus Medical Review
Peer review is a formal check by external subject-matter experts before a study appears in a scientific journal. In that process, reviewers probe the methods, statistics, and claims, and the editor decides whether the paper meets the bar. Consumer health pages don’t follow that journal workflow. They are written and edited by professional staff and then vetted by medical editors to confirm accuracy and balance. Both paths promote quality, but they are not the same thing.
Which Mayo Journals Use Peer Review
Mayo Clinic sponsors two journals that run independent editorial processes: Mayo Clinic Proceedings and Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes. Each accepts submissions from researchers worldwide, uses external reviewers, and publishes only after editorial decision. Those journals meet the common yardsticks you’d expect in clinical publishing, including conflict-of-interest disclosure and structured peer review. If you see a paper in one of those journals, you’re reading work that went through a peer-review system. See the Proceedings guide for authors for details about reviewer criteria.
How Patient Pages Are Reviewed
Most people arrive at plain-language condition pages on mayoclinic.org. Those entries are crafted by a dedicated editorial team and then checked by physicians with subject expertise. Mayo transparently lists medical editors and describes the standards they follow for neutrality, citations, and disclosure. That review step adds accountability and reduces errors, but it is different from anonymous outside reviewers scoring an original study. Think of it as expert editorial oversight for public health content, not a research-journal gate. Learn more in Mayo’s health information policy.
Are Mayo Pages Reviewed By Peers? A Reader’s Shortcut
Readers often land on questions that sound like a yes-or-no test. A practical way to read a Mayo page is to scan for three quick markers: the URL path, a visible “References” or “Citations” area, and any journal citation near a claim about effectiveness or risk. If the page is a consumer entry, expect medical editing and citations to mainstream sources. If the link jumps to a Proceedings article, expect journal-style sections such as Methods, Results, and a DOI.
Why The Distinction Matters To Readers
Editors and reviewers chase different goals. Editors of patient pages prize clarity, plain language, and clinical balance for broad audiences. Journal reviewers prize methodological rigor, reproducibility, and appropriate statistics. Both care about conflicts and transparency. Knowing which process governed the page you’re reading helps you judge how to use the information: use peer-reviewed studies to support claims about efficacy or harm; use patient pages for definitions, care pathways, and practical tips you can take to your next appointment.
Quick Ways To Tell What You’re Reading
Here’s a fast field guide you can apply while you browse. It’s geared to busy readers who want a reliable takeaway without chasing extra tabs.
| Signal | What You’ll See | How To Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed study | Methods, Results, DOI, submission/accept dates | Use for claims about efficacy or harm |
| Medically reviewed page | Plain language, named medical editor, citations to agencies | Use for definitions and care guidance |
| News item | Quotes, summaries, links to papers | Trace back to the primary study |
A Simple Scenario To Compare
Let’s make it concrete. Say you’re reading about a new drug for migraine. A patient education page might summarize drug classes, when to talk to a clinician, and common side effects, with citations to major organizations. A Proceedings paper on the same drug would present design, sample size, endpoints, analysis plan, and a section on limitations. Both are useful. The first helps you understand care; the second helps you evaluate the strength of evidence.
How To Cite Responsibly
If you plan to cite material in a paper or presentation, start at the original study when possible. Cite the peer-reviewed article directly. Use the patient page as a pointer or for background. When the topic is safety, check whether the study design fits the claim, whether results are clinically meaningful, and whether follow-up studies agree. If your source is a press release or a news item, trace it back to the underlying paper before you quote numbers.
Where To Find Peer-Reviewed Mayo Research
Mayo publishes many thousands of studies across journals each year. You can search the public Mayo research portal and filter by journal, year, and topic to find work that has gone through peer review. That hub also links out to Proceedings and to other venues where Mayo scientists publish, which makes it easier to verify a claim before you repeat it.
What Counts As Peer Review In Medicine
High-quality journals follow well known recommendations for authors, editors, and reviewers. Those recommendations describe how peer review should be handled, how conflicts are disclosed, and how participants are protected. When a journal states that it follows these norms, you can expect a basic level of process quality.
Smart Skimming Habits
When you see a medical claim on social media that links to a Mayo page, pause and ask: Is the link a journal paper or a consumer explainer? Does it cite a randomized trial or only expert opinion? Are limitations described plainly? Is there a disclosure statement? Spending thirty seconds with those questions reduces the chance of repeating a claim out of context.
Takeaway Checklist For Everyday Use
Here’s a compact list you can keep in mind. It covers the signals that distinguish consumer education from peer-reviewed research and helps you decide how to use each source in daily life.
Checklist: Spot The Page Type Fast
— Look for a DOI, submission and acceptance dates, and section headers like Methods and Results. That’s a journal paper.
— Look for a named medical editor, plain-language headings, and links to national agencies. That’s a patient education page.
— Look for quotes, short summaries, and links to a paper or study page. That’s a news item.
— When in doubt, follow the link trail until you reach the primary study.
Checklist: Use Each Source The Right Way
— Use journal papers when you need to cite evidence or quantify benefits and risks.
— Use patient pages when you need clear definitions, care pathways, and practical steps.
— Use news items to discover topics, then jump to the underlying research before sharing numbers.
Bottom Line For Readers
Mayo Clinic builds both types of content because they serve different goals. Peer-reviewed studies push knowledge forward for specialists and researchers. Medically reviewed patient pages translate that knowledge for people seeking care. When you can tell which one you’re reading, you can make better decisions about what claims to share and what details to double-check.