Press Releases by Academic Medical Centers: Not So Academic?, Steven Woloshin, MD, MS; Lisa M. Schwartz, MD, MS; Samuel L. Casella, MPH; Abigail T. Kennedy, BA; and Robin J. Larson, MD, MPH. Annals of Internal Medicine 5 May 2009 | Volume 150 Issue 9 | Pages 613-618 [full text available at no charge]
“Medical journalism is often criticized for what reporters cover (for example, preliminary work) and how they cover it (for example, turning modest findings into miracles). Critics often place blame squarely on the media, pointing out that few journalists are trained to critically read medical research or suggesting that sensationalism is deliberate: Whereas scientists want to promote the truth, the media just want to sell newspapers. But exaggeration may begin with the journalists’ sources. Researchers and their funders, and even medical journals, often court media attention through press releases. The strategy works: Press releases increase the chance of getting media coverage and shape subsequent reporting. An independent medical news rating organization found that more than one third of U.S. health news stories seemed to rely solely or largely on press releases. Academic medical centers produce large volumes of research and attract press coverage through press releases. Because these centers set the standard for research and education in U.S. medicine, one might assume that their press releases are measured and unexaggerated. To test this assumption, we examined press releases from academic medical centers in a systematic manner.”
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