Search Results for "disease mongering"
University takes cautious approach in promoting rapid test for diagnosing brain disease
The release appropriately noted that the test needs validation through a larger study.
Is it Brain Infection or Cancer? A New Rapid Test Could Hold the Answer
Multigene test may find risk for common diseases, but there’s no evidence it will make anyone healthier
At the end of the day, what is important to most people is what exactly their individual risk might be, and the story offers no information on how well it evaluates that.
Multigene test may find risk for heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer
Smartphone device’s early lab results no substitute for real-world infectious disease detection
It’s a huge leap from the lab to field use in the real world. This release ignores the many steps and considerations that must be dealt with in between.
Researchers use smart phone to make a faster infection detector
‘Daily ibuprofen can prevent Alzheimer’s disease’ and other unproven claims by Canadian neuroscientist
The news release suggests that the way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease early is by looking for elevated levels of Abeta42 in the saliva, thereby allowing early treatment with ibuprofen. However, no data on the accuracy of this screening method is included.
Canadian neuroscientists say daily ibuprofen can prevent Alzheimer's disease
NIH recap on ‘brain disease test’: strong on study results, but lacks clarity on patient benefits
News releases about new diagnostic tests will be read by patients and their families and should strive to discuss the impact of early diagnosis, beyond the potential benefits for research.
NIH scientists adapt new brain disease test for Parkinson’s, dementia with Lewy bodies
Recap of small vitamin D study for heart disease shows fitting restraint
This relatively careful release on a small vitamin D study skimps on just enough details to fall short.
High doses of vitamin D rapidly reduce arterial stiffness
Having a double chin isn’t a disease. But Allergan summary of treatment for it disease mongers anyway
Giving percentages of improvement without telling readers how small the study was is a misleading tactic used by some PR personnel. Please stop.
Allergan Receives FDA Clearance For the CoolSculpting® Treatment To Improve Appearance Of Lax Tissue In The Double Chin
University announces plans to license over-the-counter treatment for ‘wasting disease’ in people, based on unpublished mice study
The pre-clinical compound touted as a treatment for human wasting disease may be a decade from use in humans — if ever.
Oregano, Thyme May Hold the Cure for Wasting Syndrome Disease
Except for needing more sources, Reuters Health story on Graves’ disease is well-reported
The story does a lot of things well–it adequately quantifies the benefits from use of the drug, as well as outlining the potential risks associated with it.
Experimental drug reduces thyroid-associated ‘Graves' eyes,’
Radiology society’s PR message about untreated breast cancer: Sound evidence or scare-mongering?
The American College of Radiology recently issued a fairly terse 183-word news release on a new study published in its journal on the “natural history of untreated screen-detected breast cancer.” The report is subtitled “An argument against delayed screening or increasing the interval between screening” and is based on a small survey of Society of […]
Older drug retested for managing Parkinson’s disease symptoms: What are the costs and harms?
This release would have been more complete with a few more details and disclosure of a long-standing financial relationship between author and sponsor.
150-year-old Drug May Provide ‘Off’ Time Relief for People with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease
No evidence given for claim that statins are beneficial for patients with chronic liver disease
This release leaps from basic physiologic mechanisms to claims about actual benefits to patients but without any numbers to back up the claims.
Statins May Provide Treatment Alternative for Chronic Liver Disease
Benefits of testosterone therapy in reducing risk of heart disease remain murky, despite claims from Bayer-funded researchers
This release on an observational study of men taking testosterone therapy compared with those who did not fails to bring clarity to the testosterone replacement therapy research landscape.
Testosterone therapy provides protection against cardiovascular disease in men with low testosterone
Fish oil trade group inflates findings on heart disease risk reduction
The release claims a 16% risk reduction in study volunteers with high triglycerides and 14% reduced risk in those with high LDL cholesterol. But according to the meta-analysis, only 6 of 18 randomized controlled trials (RCT) studied patients with high triglycerides and only 5 of 14 RCTs looked at patients with high LDL cholesterol.
New study finds EPA and DHA omega-3s lower risk of coronary heart disease
More miracle-mongering in City of Hope news release about breast cancer vaccine
The release is based on a very short-term observation of a single patient that received an experimental treatment. Reviewers found the release lacking in many criteria for a good news release.
