HealthNewsReview.org | Independent Expert Reviews of News Stories | Holding Health and Medical Journalism Accountable

Why does this Matter?

• Sometimes news stories report on things as if they were available at your corner drug store, when, in fact, they may be years away from even coming on the market. It's important for you to know that there may be a lot of marketing hype that suggests that something is well-studied and ready for use
• Perhaps something is approved in Europe, but not in the U.S. That should raise questions about why it hasn't been submitted for approval in the U.S. yet, or why it hasn't gained approval yet.
• Research in animals may not pan out in humans.
• Early human trials may not be large enough to show, or may not be primarily designed to show, how well something works. Some early studies focus on safety, not on how well something works.
• And whenever you hear a prediction about something "expected to be approved by the FDA" in a certain time period, take it with a grain of salt. It doesn't get approved until it gets approved. Ignore crystal ball predictions; they usually come from someone who stands to benefit.
• Finally, when you hear about new approaches - new devices or new operations - you should ask how widespread is the approach. No one wants to be patient number one with a new device or a new operation. And you should also wonder about whether all the personnel required to deliver the approach have been properly trained - and about whether there are enough trained personnel.