It seems one cannot open a newspaper or magazine, turn on the television or log on to their computer without being inundated with health-related news. Countless publications and websites are dedicated to informing the public about everything from drug efficacy to nutrition advice, often presenting conflicting information. Some sources seem reputable, others may not. How do you sort out the fact from the fiction?
Check out Health News Review.org. I first heard about this website from a spot on NPR’s Morning Edition and am very impressed. This project, supported by The Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making, was established to improve the accuracy of health reporting and help consumers make informed decisions about health care. Reviewers are qualified members of the medical and public health fields, with the appropriate credentials to be authorities on health-related topics. They review news stories which make specific claims with regard to treatments, procedures, drugs, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and diagnostic/screening tests and score them based on a standardized rating system. Articles are given “stars” based on how they fair on 10 different criteria, specifically:
1. Availability of treatment/product/test/procedure
2. If and how costs are mentioned in the article
3. If there is evidence of “disease mongering” in the story
4. Does the article grasp the quality of the evidence? (e.g. adequately point out limitations)
5. How harmful evidence of treatment/test/product/procedure is reported
6. Does the article establish true “novelty” of approach (is it really new information?)
7. How the benefits of the treatment/test/product/procedure are framed (through objective, quantitative data)
8. Whether the article seems to rely solely or largely on a news release
9. Is information from an independent source or are potential conflicts of interest reported?
10. Whether or not alternative options are presented.
This website is clearly a great resource to investigate health claims-- Access it for yourself at: http://www.healthnewsreview.org/
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