Medical news: A case for skepticism

When you read medical news, do you ever get drawn in by the headline only to find the details deliver something quite different (or less) than expected? Or do the findings sound so dramatic that you wonder whether the results might be exaggerated or misleading? If you answered yes, I’m with you. The reasons to be skeptical are many. And it’s not that there are evil people out there deliberately trying to mislead you — well, there are a few of those, but only a few. Pressures on those that bring us health news make it almost certain that at times, information will be biased, incomplete, or flat-out wrong. I’m not talking about research findings that seem misleading because they are eventually debunked by future studies. For example, only a few years ago, doctors believed hormone replacement therapy was good for the cardiovascular health of postmenopausal women. Better research eventually proved just the opposite. What I am talking about is current research as published in reputable medical journals and reported on your nightly news, in your newspaper, or online. Even if the research findings are proven to be true, the “spin” can be a bit (or a lot) over the top. The case for skepticism The case for skepticism can be made at just about every step of the way that medical news makes its way to us. For example: The design of the clinical trial. Studies with positive findings are more likely to get published than those with negative (and often disappointing) results. A...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Health care Medical Research Source Type: news