Star Tribune proclaims "blockage breakthrough" but readers wonder

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This is the second business section health news story we've questioned today. But we're not the only ones.

A Star Tribune headline screamed, "Blockage Breakthrough" on behalf of a local company's hopes for its coronary artery intervention product.

Problem: We never learn what the product really is or how it works.

We only hear the praise from one - just one happy patient - and the pronouncement from the lead investigator (perhaps a bit conflicted?) that this is the closest they can come to the Holy Grail for treating blocked coronary arteries.

Readers are not dumb. Online, some commented as follows:

• "I don't get it...exactly what is the breakthrough? It sounds like a normal angioplasty,"

• "Please define what (these devices) actually do."

• "There is no description of what it is, what it does."

• "Seems like the main point is not in the article? So how does the thing work? I kept reading it over thinking I missed it in there."

No matter where you live - think twice about health stories on the business page that make things sound too good to be true. And if the story doesn't deliver what you need to understand, take a moment to write in as these folks did. Maybe someone will listen.

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Enter Comments, but.... I welcome comments but will delete those with product pitches, profanity, personal attacks or those from anyone who doesn't list what appears to be an actual e-mail address. We also don' t give medical advice and won't respond to any questions asking for it.

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Gary Schwitzer published on February 22, 2010 4:38 PM.

Screen, screen, screen; newspaper keeps area business happy was the previous entry in this blog.

Drugs that cost more than $200,000 a year is the next entry in this blog.

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