About Firsthand

What Firsthand is

Firsthand is an independent review directory for health and wellness products and services — supplements, telehealth providers, sleep aids, dental and hearing products, and more. The health market is crowded with bold claims and thin evidence, and most "review" sites simply repeat whatever the manufacturer says. We built Firsthand to do the opposite: read the actual research, publish the scoring rules, and tell you what doesn't work as plainly as what does.

Who's behind it

Firsthand's analysis is produced by a Health Research Analyst — a data scientist (MSc) who evaluates clinical evidence from PubMed, NIH trial registries, and regulatory sources. The analyst is not a physician and doesn't give medical advice; their job is to weigh studies honestly and translate them into clear comparisons. Health content is then fact-checked against its cited sources by our editorial team (Firsthand Editorial Team) before it reaches the pages where buying decisions happen.

The mission

Every ranking on Firsthand follows three commitments:

• Evidence-based. Recommendations trace back to peer-reviewed research, with randomized controlled trials weighted highest. Our scoring methodology is published in full.
• Honest cons. Every product page lists drawbacks, side effects, and red flags — even for products we recommend, and even when a commission is at stake. How we make money is explained in our affiliate disclosure.
• Editorially fact-checked. Health money pages are checked against their cited sources by our editorial team before publication, under the standards in our editorial policy.

Firsthand content is informational only and is never a substitute for advice from your own healthcare professional. Questions, corrections, or feedback? Get in touch.