In an opinion piece on TheScientist.com, Daniel W. Coyne writes, “Amgen’s incomplete report on an early major trial of epoetin misled the medical community about the anemia drug’s risks and benefits—and helped make Amgen rich.” In the book, “How We Do Harm,” Otis Brawley, MD, chief medical and scientific officer of the American Cancer Society, [...]
A paper in Health Affairs – “Direct-To-Consumer Internet Promotion Of Robotic Prostatectomy Exhibits Varying Quality Of Information” (subscription required) – adds to mounting questions about the marketing and promotion of this technology. A team of researchers analyzed claims made in online promotions of robotic surgery for prostate cancer. Excerpts of the paper: “We found that [...]
MedPage Today reports: Among hospitals that marketed robotic gynecologic surgery on their websites, as many as 90% touted benefits that have minimal evidence-based support. Claims related to reduced pain, shorter recovery, and decreased blood loss were cited by 76% or more of hospitals that promoted robotic capabilities. Few hospital websites cited evidence-based data to back [...]
This week we’ve already written about marketing of “preventive MRI scans” and of a free nose job promotion. I often write about these medical marketing messages because I think the public should see some of the promotions that go on behind the scenes to try to convince journalists to write about treatments, tests, products and [...]
USA Today refreshes our memory on what’s becoming an annual rite of spring – vasectomy promotions tied in to NCAA basketball’s March Madness. The pitch is sometimes framed as something like: “This is a good time to have it done so you can recover while spending a couple of days on the couch watching hoops [...]
Some journalists recently received this news release: Miami Plastic surgeon –“Dr. Schnoz” offering a nose job, trip to Miami to the winner of a video contest March 8, 2012 – Dr. Michael Salzhauer, leading Miami Plastic Surgeon at Bal Harbour PlasticSurgery Associates, announced today “A Nose Job Love Song Giveaway.” Dr. Salzhauer’s contest involves creating [...]
Some of the Groupon, Living Social, Daily Deal offerings are getting a little crazy. Here’s one I got today. The ad copy is astounding: Been dealing with a minor ache or pain? Get it checked out today! Once in a while, you may experience an enlightening moment in your life. This experience may change the [...]
A journalist brought this to my attention. It’s a case of dueling messages on the websites of the two big Chicago newspapers. One is a news story. The other is nothing but an unvetted health care industry news release. On a Chicago Sun-Times website, a local medical center posts a news release touting its “new [...]
Kudos to reporter Kirsten Stewart of the Salt Lake Tribune for showing how to avoid local boosterism – so often seen when the local health care industry makes an announcement or holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In her story, “Utah doctors tout high-tech cancer treatment,” she helps readers think critically. You should read the full story, [...]
3 months ago we blogged about a longtime Tampa Bay TV anchorman shifting – in retirement – to being a paid spokesman for a Medicare Advantage plan. Now we see that former Charleston, SC The Post and Courier columnist Ken Burger is doing promotions for a local health care provider organization, but it’s how this [...]
It’s difficult to do an overview of melanoma drug research in a relatively brief story. But this story did a solid job.
Better than a competing piece by Reuters but still a little short on some details about this asthma drug study.
An adequate summary of this asthma drug trial’s design doesn’t make up for the overly optimistic tone about the drug’s future. A New York Times story was better.
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