Washington Post media columnist Howard Kurtz strayed beyond media observations and injected his own comments about the US Preventive Services Task Force breast screening recommendations.
He calls the task force recommendation a “don’t-worry-be-happy-till-you’re-50 finding.”
He defines “the essential problem with such studies” as “in the end it’s a very personal decision.”
Exactly. And that was the entire point of the USPSTF recommendation – that women need to weigh the harms and benefits in consultation with their doctors. But Kurtz must not have read that far.
And then he goes on to cite a list of journalists who wrote about their own personal opposition to the recommendations.
But he didn’t quote even one person who wrote in a more balanced way about the evidence behind the recommendations. So, while his column was headlined, “A battle over breasts,” he didn’t present much about “the other side” in this battle.
Then again, Kurtz has exhibited an advocacy stance for the screen-screen-screen mentality in the past in his handling of a friend’s promotion of prostate cancer screening.
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/
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