Background: In a geographically large country like Brazil, in which the physical distances and educational differences are enormous, printed news media provide an effective source for the dissemination of health information. Nevertheless, the great challenge is to ensure the quality of the information such that reports are complete, clear to the general reader and based on the best evidence available. In order to be complete, reports on treatment and preventive procedures must include not only potential benefits, but also information concerning adverse effects and safety concerns as well as references to the research source. Objectives: To evaluate whether reports of healthcare treatment and prevention published in the Brazilian press include information on said procedures’ safety and collateral effects. Methods: From 19 January to 18 February 2008, 111 reports on healthcare were published in the Brazilian newspaper with the widest national circulation and scope. All reports related to healthcare treatment and/or prevention (n = 23) were selected. Two evaluators qualified the reports vis-a`-vis the inclusion of information concerning a given reported procedure’s safety and adverse effects and the inclusion of references to the research source of said information. Results: Among the reports evaluated, 52% did not include information concerning safety or adverse effects; 35% contained such information but said information was based only on specialists’ opinions; and a mere 13% contained objective information concerning safety and adverse effects, citing research and study results in the newspaper article. Conclusions: A small minority of the reports concerning treatment and prevention cite objective data related to safety and adverse effects. However, the majority of the reports published offer incomplete information to consumers, who, in a developing country like Brazil, often consider the media as the only source of information concerning new health technologies. Despite the small sample number, it is important to note that this study evaluated all reports concerning healthcare treatment and/or procedures in the widestcirculating Brazilian newspaper with its great capacity to disseminate information among the population.