HealthDay published – and at least one major news organization (BusinessWeek) republished – this overly enthusiastic story about what substances in tequila plants, garlic and onions may do to "fight bone loss" and a host of other problems. Read the review for full details.
The credibility of journalism is called into question with stories like this. Independent vetting? None. Making the leap from mouse research to what "can be used" in products for children and infants to help prevent various diseases? Indefensibly definitive language.
Not applicable. Cost not discussed but there is no product yet to cost estimate.
First, this was in mice – a fact that was minimized in the story. But we don’t know how many mice were tested. Was it two? Was it 200? And we’re only given a relative benefit statistic – "50 percent increase in levels of a protein associated with the build-up of new bone tissue." 50% of what?
Yet this mouse story allowed the researcher – based on a quote from a news release – to say:
"They can be used in many products for children and infants to help prevent various diseases, and can even be used in ice cream as a sugar substitute."
Shameful.
Not a word about potential harms.
It took 5 paragraphs – half way through the story – before it was mentioned that the research on bone growth was in mice. And even then no caveats were provided about interpreting such evidence.
Besides the headline claim about fighting bone loss, the story states that "Experimental studies suggest that fructans may be beneficial in diabetes, obesity, stimulating the immune system of the body, decreasing levels of disease-causing bacteria in the intestine, relieving constipation and reducing the risk of colon cancer." Are you sure you didn’t leave something out?
No independent sources.
No such comparisons provided.
Not applicable. The availability of these plants is not in question.
The story briefly mentioned past experimental studies suggesting benefits from fructans.
The story admits that it is based on "background information in a news release from the American Chemical Society."
Systematic, Criteria-Driven
A great read on this weekend’s NYT claims of a cure for Type 1.
Cure for Type 1 diabetes? We’ve been down this road before with NY Times https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2021/11/cure-for-type-1-diabetes-weve-been-down-this-road-before-with-ny-times/
"But it is the framing and the emphasis of the #journalism by a leading science journalist at a leading newspaper that demands scrutiny. It has an impact on readers and on sick people that may cause harm by promoting false hope about extremely preliminary research"
👍👏💪 truth https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1465399358137024518
Why we should still miss healthnewsreview. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1465399358137024518
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