Australian journalist Melissa Sweet offers an alternative perspective to that given by an Australian politician who publicly encouraged men to be screened for prostate cancer based on his own personal experience.
The politician wrote: “It is an easy choice really.”
But Sweet countered:
“Actually, it’s not an easy choice at all, and someone in (his) position, of influence and with access to high quality information, should know better than to reduce such a complex health decision to a simplistic punchline.”
She offers context and background for public discussion on this issue, but also provides a look at how ugly the public debate on prostate cancer screening has become in Australia.
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I miss @HealthNewsRevu popping up in my feed. Loved seeing this one today.
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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
Comments
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Susan Fitzgerald
January 27, 2011 at 11:51 amExcellent – I hope you and other journalists will keep dogging this and other screening issues.
When the inventor of the prostate cancer blood test says “just say no,” it’s time to listen:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10Ablin.html?_r=1
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