There has been no need for the Watchdog to weigh in on the Planned Parenthood/Komen fiasco this week. We generally tend to write about things that otherwise might go un-noticed. This issue – deservedly – was inescapable this week in news stories and through social media. We remind you that we tend to focus on [...]
As far as I can tell, Marilynn Marchione of the AP is the only mainstream news media journalist to report that “A study of Medicare records found that men treated with proton beams later had one-third more bowel problems, such as bleeding and blockages, than similar men given conventional radiation.” She reports that results “were [...]
In more than 7 years of blogging about health care messages affecting the public dialogue, I don’t think I’ve ever written before about radio call-in programs. But this one hit pretty close to home. Nothing makes me more upset than people fear-mongering and lying about health care to suit their own interests. I don’t listen [...]
A sleigh led by a dog. Hey, the red-nosed reindeer had nothing on this mutt. Like Rudolph’s maiden voyage with the fat man, this is the Watchdog’s first time hosting the Wonk Review. So buckle up for a wild ride. Man, there’s a lot in Santa’s bag: unbundling the bundle in the jungle, [...]
It’s ironic that this now makes three consecutive entries on this blog that all relate to public misconceptions or misunderstanding of how science works. • Yesterday I blogged about a science writer’s lament about how reader comments sometimes display an inability to accept evidence. • Earlier today I posted a humorous piece from The Daily [...]
Questions about how best to communicate to the public about the tradeoffs of potential benefits versus potential harms of mammography do not end at America’s shores. The Guardian of London reports: An independent investigation into breast cancer screening has been set up by the government’s cancer chief to try to settle the growing controversy around [...]
On the NPR Shots blog, Scott Hensley addresses, “Avastin For Breast Cancer: Hope Versus False Hope.” Excerpt: Any day now FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is expected to make a final decision on Avastin’s fate. Women who said Avastin helped their breast cancer were out in force at a June hearing of an appeal of FDA’s [...]
The New York Times reports about last night’s televised debate among Republican presidential candidates: Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, condemned a proposal of a government task force to end routine tests for prostate cancer in men, saying it would cause deaths. But the panel that made the recommendation concluded the test itself has caused [...]
USA Today reports on 14 states considering some move toward mandating a newborn test looking for signs of congenital heart disease. Excerpt: “The tests aren’t always accurate, however, and some doctors say they will prompt follow-up tests that could prove expensive — perhaps as much as $1,500. “No question about it raising health care costs, [...]
In the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Christopher Snowbeck reports, “Health care debate that’s radioactive: where to build the region’s radiation treament centers.” Excerpts: “…radiation treatment centers… cost millions of dollars to build and have been the subject of fierce debates in Minnesota about where they should be located and who should be allowed to operate [...]
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.
This story focuses on a family that may have a rare genetic mutation that increases their risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, the “rare” part wasn’t mentioned until 1,600 words into this 2,100 word story.
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