Farts, cures, unnecessary tests - fairly typical health care news roundup

Trying to improve the public dialogue about health care "Cure" continues to lose meaning The ways in which the word is used render it almost meaningless anymore.   The baby with HIV was reportedly "cured" last year.  Not anymore.  Bone marrow transplants reportedly cured men with HIV last year. Just 5 months later, that news changed.  The words used in health care news matter.  But we're slow to learn. Look at some of the "cures" I've collected.  And so, from the important to the ridiculous.  TIME. com called a very basic research study of hydrogen sulfide "ridiculous."  But it was the news coverage - not the study - that was ridiculous. Just as when journalists jumped on the chance to put "balls" or "testicles" in headlines, they weren't going to whiff on the chance to display immaturity and inability to cover science when they could put fart in the headlines. The word "cure" even entered into some of this news coverage! And again, a university news release played a major role in how the story was told.  A tiny, short-term study of dark chocolate led some journalists to report it "may help walking ability"..."may be the next new drug"..."can cure peripheral artery disease."  Another example of how journalistic credibility suffers from simplistic research news.    Other items I think you'll be interested in:  One physician's story about "an egregious example of ordering unnecessary tests" in a 21-year old man during a routine physical.  Guidelines on unnecessary pelvic exams led to ABC News coverage that included their ob-gyn/reporter's own opinions - including scoffing at the description of tests causing anxiety as a potential harm.  Personal & professional bias on display on the air and on Twitter.  During the World Cup, a hospital invited folks to watch the match AND get free skin cancer screening.  Evidence-based medicine? Or marketing? Alzheimer's testing: we've been down this path before. News about an "87% accurate" test. What does that mean? It doesn't appear that many journalists knew. A lesson in positive predictive value.  I wrote about what all women need to know about the US News & World Report column, "16 Health Screenings All Women Need." I also explained why online pieces like this are journalistic click-rate-bait.  Unnecessary testing was also a theme in James McCormack's latest terrific educational health care YouTube video - about Choosing Wisely - to the tune of "Happy." Two MDs - ZDoggMD and Aaron Carroll - also strutted their YouTube stuff, demonstrating how the medium can be used to educate and entertain.   Finally, the BBC reported on two people I've learned from and love to listen to - Gerd Gigerenzer and Glyn Elwyn - and their work on risk literacy and shared decision-making.  Gary Schwitzer                      Publisher, HealthNewsReview.org   Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Minnesota School of Public Health                                                                  This project is currently operating without funding.     Email: feedback@healthnewsreview.org or use this Contact Us form

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