This story is a marketing coup for a hospital, but its relevance to most cancer patients is unclear. This story failed on costs and on context, cheerleading for an approach that lacks evidence.
Andrew Holtz, former CNN-er, and past president of the Association of Health Care Journalists, was one of the reviewers of this piece. He recently joined the HealthNewsReview.org team of reviewers. I mention this because sometimes readers may wonder if the story reviewers have journalism – and, in this case, TV journalism experience. Between Andrew and me, we have more years (30+) of such experience than we may care to remember.
Opinions on other issues in news, journals, PR, advertising, marketing
Puleeeeease... this 'game changer' weight loss drug causes more nausea and vomiting than a placebo. Some game, some change. My friend Gary would spank you for using the eighth word medical reporters should never, ever use. @garyschwitzer @thackerpd
https://www.healthnewsreview.org/toolkit/just-journalists-writing-tips-case-studies/7-words-and-more-you-shouldnt-use-in-medical-news/ https://twitter.com/OttawaCitizen/status/1361426796126830597
A scary @statnews Op-Ed warns that govt attempts to rein in Pharma may cut off access to "life-changing" drugs.
It takes @garyschwitzer to let us know: the author spent 10 years as Pfizer's public-policy chief. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1360325022578053123
.@TranspariMED criticizes STAT op-ed for not disclosing pharma funding of author’s institute - similar to criticism we’ve made of STAT op-eds in the past. @transparify @ThinkTankWatch @icer_review https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2021/02/transparency-watchdog-criticizes-stats-non-disclosure-on-pro-pharma-op-ed/
Comments
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Marilyn Mann
June 8, 2009 at 8:57 pmGary,
A dear friend of mine has stage IV colon cancer. Recently, when I went to see her in the hospital, she had seen this story and was totally taken in by it. I hadn’t seen it, but her description made me suspicious. Apparently, they showed a couple of patients whose tumors had shrunk drastically, supposedly as a result of the genetic testing program. My friend was telling me that she wanted to find out more about it. In reality, there is no hope for her. I think it is irresponsible for ABC to do a story like that, literally raising false hopes in dying cancer patients like my friend.
Marilyn
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