Last week, I read with interest a New York Times piece headlined, “The Trials of Stem Cell Therapy,” with the subhead: “Stem Cells: Plenty of Hope, but Halting Progress.” I thought that was an appropriately cautious introduction to this issue, which has received so much hype.
“Halting” is defined as:
The story asked the question, “Why, then, are there not more success stories, given all the money poured into stem cell research?”
A headline again pulled me in – as headlines are made to do – when, 6 days later, the Science/Health section of my Sunday Star Tribune newspaper published the following story:
I thought to myself, “How can two such different stories come out within days of each other?” One leads with “halting progress” while the other trumpets “Starts To Show Results” with a subhead about a heart patient who now goes dancing.
But then I realized IT WAS THE SAME STORY – just with a different headline apparently slapped on top by someone at the Star Tribune who was cobbling together pieces grabbed from others in order to flesh out its Sunday Science/Health section.
Did someone at the Strib miss the questioning tone of the original New York Times piece? Maybe this is what happens when one publishes a Science/Health section that is almost always nearly filled with stuff that your staff didn’t write.
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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
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