This news release speculates that a study in rats shows a new weight loss implant is superior to existing weight loss devices used in humans. That’s jumping ahead of the evidence.
This release needed a strong caution that observations made in tissue samples and mice don’t always translate to human outcomes.
While probiotics have been a popular focus of research in recent years, the claim that they could help millions with bipolar disease is unwarranted.
The release claims the diet “significantly improved blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, mood and cognitive function” but doesn’t provide any numbers to allow readers to gauge the size of improvement.
This news release did a good job of explaining how the study was done but didn’t provide data on benefits, costs, or harms.
All missing from this news release: benefits, harms, how it compares to other methods to treat aneurysms, cost, and if it’s available beyond one hospital.
The news release suggests results from lung tests in infants can predict future lung health. But the research can’t yet tell us that vitamin c use in pregnancy will result in any changes in lung health later on.
Follow-up studies are needed to confirm these results in more patients across a range of different cancers.
This news release offers no caution about harms nor the fact that benefits found in animal studies seldom translate to humans.
News release lacks clarity on benefits, harms, costs, and availability of the procedure.
Systematic, Criteria-Driven
Monday at #ADA2021, an infectious disease epidemiologist, a journalist, and a researcher shared perspectives on communication of risk in the era of COVID-19: http://ow.ly/ROfR30rMeE7 @AstleyCM @garyschwitzer @berthahidalgo @ADA_DiabetesPro
Shoutouts to @susan_bewley @drkevinknopf @MichaelBaum11 in this call for more than fawning coverage from press releases for these kinds of stories.
Also, linked history inside goes back 5 years just on Grail apparently trying to become Holy Grail. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1408849696416841731
Tips & Resources for Analyzing Health Care Claims
