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The Media Matter: A Call for Straightforward Medical Reporting

2004; American College of Physicians; Volume: 140; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7326/0003-4819-140-3-200402030-00015

1539-3704

Lisa M. Schwartz, Steven Woloshin,

BRCA gene mutations in cancer

Editorials3 February 2004The Media Matter: A Call for Straightforward Medical ReportingLisa M. Schwartz, MD, MS and Steven Woloshin, MD, MSLisa M. Schwartz, MD, MSFrom VA Outcomes Group, White River Junction, VT 05009. and Steven Woloshin, MD, MSFrom VA Outcomes Group, White River Junction, VT 05009.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-140-3-200402030-00015 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Believe nothing that you see in the newspapers … if you see anything in them that you know is true, begin to doubt it at once.–Sir William Osler (1)While many physicians may share Osler's sentiments about the sometimes sloppy and sensationalized press coverage of health care, doctors and researchers have real reasons to help journalists do their job well. The public pays attention to health in the media—over half of U.S. adults report that they follow health news closely; only community events and crime get more attention (2). Thus, the press is well positioned to educate the public about ...References1. Bean WB, ed. Sir William Osler: aphorisms from his bedside teachings and writings. Accessed at www.vh.org/adult/provider/history/osler/1.html# on 22 December 2003. Google Scholar2. Kovach B, Rosenstiel T, Mitchell A. A first step to change: a commentary on the findings. Committee of Concerned Journalists and Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Accessed at www.journalism.org/resources/research/reports/surveycomment.asp on 22 December 2003. Google Scholar3. Haas JS, Kaplan CP, Gerstenberger EP, Kerlikowske K. Changes in the use of postmenopausal hormone therapy after the publication of clinical trial results. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:184-8. LinkGoogle Scholar4. Rossouw JE, Anderson GL, Prentice RL, LaCroix AZ, Kooperberg C, Stefanick ML, et al . Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results from the Women's Health Initiative randomized, controlled trial. JAMA. 2002;288:321-33. [PMID: 12117397] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Lawton B, Rose S, McLeod D, Dowell A. Changes in use of hormone replacement therapy after the report from the Women's Health Initiative: cross sectional survey of users. BMJ. 2003;327:845-6. [PMID: 14551101] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Grilli R, Ramsay C, Minozzi S. Mass media interventions: effects on health services utilisation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;:CD000389. [PMID: 11869574] MedlineGoogle Scholar7. Sharma V, Dowd MD, Swanson DS, Slaughter AJ, Simon SD. Influence of the news media on diagnostic testing in the emergency department. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003;157:257-60. [PMID: 12622675] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Phillips DP, Kanter EJ, Bednarczyk B, Tastad PL. Importance of the lay press in the transmission of medical knowledge to the scientific community. N Engl J Med. 1991;325:1180-3. [PMID: 1891034] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Cassels A, Hughes MA, Cole C, Mintzes B, Lexchin J, McCormack JP. Drugs in the news: an analysis of Canadian newspaper coverage of new prescription drugs. CMAJ. 2003;168:1133-7. [PMID: 12719316] MedlineGoogle Scholar10. Moynihan R, Bero L, Ross-Degnan D, Henry D, Lee K, Watkins J, et al . Coverage by the news media of the benefits and risks of medications. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1645-50. [PMID: 10833211] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. Rowe G, Frewer L, Sjoberg L. Newspaper reporting of hazards in the UK and Sweden. Public Underst Sci. 2000;9:59-78. [PMID: 11624282] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. Schwartz LM, Woloshin S, Baczek L. Media coverage of scientific meetings: too much, too soon? JAMA. 2002;287:2859-63. [PMID: 12038934] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. Moynihan R, Soumerai S, Fletcher R, et al. Tipsheet for reporting on drugs, devices and medical technologies. Accessed at www.cmwf.org/journalists/index.asp?link=11 on 22 December 2003. Google Scholar14. Naylor CD, Chen E, Strauss B. Measured enthusiasm: does the method of reporting trial results alter perceptions of therapeutic effectiveness? Ann Intern Med. 1992;117:916-21. [PMID: 1443954] LinkGoogle Scholar15. Woloshin S, Schwartz L. Press releases: translating research into news. JAMA. 2002;287:2856-8. [PMID: 12038933] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From VA Outcomes Group, White River Junction, VT 05009.Note: Drs. Woloshin and Schwartz contributed equally to the creation of this manuscript; the order of their names is arbitrary.Disclaimer: The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government.Acknowledgment: The authors thank H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH, and John Birkmeyer, MD, for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this editorial.Grant Support: Drs. Woloshin and Schwartz are supported by Veterans Affairs Career Development Awards in Health Services Research and Development and by Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Faculty Scholar Awards. This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute (CA91052-01) and by a Research Enhancement Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate the harms from excessive medical care.Disclosures:Honoraria: L.M. Schwartz, S. Woloshin (National Institutes of Health); Other: L.M. Schwartz, S. Woloshin (Knight Foundation).Corresponding Author: Steven Woloshin, MD, MS, VA Outcomes Group (111B), Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, VT 05009. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoChanges in the Use of Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy after the Publication of Clinical Trial Results Jennifer S. Haas , Celia P. Kaplan , Eric P. Gerstenberger , and Karla Kerlikowske Metrics Cited ByIs the press properly presenting the epidemiological data on COVID-19? 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The example of therapeutic use of cannabinoidsThe Public Forum – Sharing the News with the Public 3 February 2004Volume 140, Issue 3Page: 226-228KeywordsClinical trial reportingConflicts of interestDrugsHealth careHealth care utilizationHealth services researchPrevention, policy, and public healthRelative riskStable coronary artery diseaseStreptococcus pyogenes ePublished: 3 February 2004 Issue Published: 3 February 2004 CopyrightCopyright © 2004 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...