The story is based on an early basic science study, evaluating the short-term effects of Ecstasy. But the story reports this very limited preliminary finding as if there were therapeutic meaning – even raising possible therapeutic value in the headline.
MDMA is not to be taken lightly. Yet this story had an inadequate discussion of potential harms – and never firmly established benefits. How could you, after all, in a study of 21 healthy volunteers, only some of whom took the drug in question?
No mention of costs. What would be the cost of overcoming “trouble connecting with others socially”?
What does it mean to suggest that the drug “significantly increase feelings of loving, friendliness and playfulness”?
How was this measured?
Did it occur in everyone?
The story said that the drug “might impair a person’s perceptive abilities and thus prompt risk-taking.” Is that the only known risk of taking MDMA?
There was no discussion of the limitations of drawing any conclusions from such a study in just 21 volunteers who were healthy. The conclusions are based on response to a single dose of the drug in a laboratory environment based on interactions with a research assistant and completion of questionnaires. It is a limited basic science study.
There is no discussion of whether problems connecting with others socially is a disease that must be treated. This is a major issue. First, are we talking about social awkwardness or social phobia? There is a real danger of medicalizing a non-medical problem. Second, the study was done in NORMAL VOLUNTEERS. The idea of improving peoples’ ability to connect socially is SPECULATION.
There was no truly independent source quoted. The only quote coming from anyone outside the current research team came from a researcher who also reported on MDMA research months ago.
What about the observation of someone who does not have a dog in the hunt?
There was no discussion of other alternative approaches to help people socialize.
The story states that “MDMA is part of a family of so-called “club drugs,” which are popular with some teens and young at all night dances or “raves.”
But it doesn’t tell readers anything about whether this is MDMA’s only use, and how it might be made available/distributed.
The story at least referred to an earlier study published in July on MDMA in PTSD.
We can’t be sure of the extent to which this story may have been influenced by a news release.
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
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