Is Health.gov an Official U.S. Government Health Information Source?

Updated

Yes. Health.gov is the official website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), operated by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). Its content is published by federal offices and is based on science and policy, which makes it a reliable reference for general health guidance. It is not, however, a substitute for advice from your own clinician.

What Health.gov Is

The site is run by OASH, whose stated mission is "to improve the health and well-being of Americans by leading on policy, practices, and programs through the application of science, innovation, education and a commitment to all." Because it sits on a .gov domain and is published by a federal office, the material carries official weight rather than being a commercial or advocacy source.

What You Can Find There

Health.gov hosts programs and guidance from several OASH offices, including:

Office Focus
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) Prevention, nutrition, and physical activity programs such as Healthy People and the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) Protecting volunteers in research conducted or supported by HHS
Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) Reducing the burden of infectious diseases
Office of Minority Health (OMH) Health status and quality of life for minority populations
Office of Population Affairs (OPA) Family planning, population affairs, and adolescent health
Office of Research Integrity (ORI) Integrity in Public Health Service research programs
Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) Scientific information on health topics

Two prominent resources are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which advises on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs and prevent disease, and the Move Your Way® campaign, which points to community resources for physical activity.

How to Use It for Personal Health Decisions

Health.gov is best treated as a starting point for understanding official guidance, not as a diagnosis tool.

  • Use it to learn the federal position on topics like diet, exercise, and disease prevention.
  • Cross-check with other HHS agencies when a question falls outside OASH's scope — for example, specific conditions or treatments may be covered more directly by other HHS bodies.
  • Bring what you find to your clinician rather than acting on it alone. The site offers population-level guidance, while your own care depends on your history and circumstances.

What It Does Not Do

Health.gov does not provide personalized medical advice, and nothing on the site is a substitute for consulting a qualified professional about your own health. Treat it as an authoritative reference for general information and official recommendations — useful for context and for verifying what federal health policy actually says.