Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Responding to the media
- Paul Stillman (7 June 2002)
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The Power of the press
- Charles R M Broomhead, 331 Birmingham Road B72 1DL (7 June 2002)
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The Excessive Power of the Press
- Bernard C Boyd (9 June 2002)
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Is smoking really an addiction?
- Anne Savage (13 June 2002)
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Paul Stillman, General Practitioner Sussex RH11 7BS
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Professor Ferry's excellent editorial illustrates much of what is bad and potentially highly dangerous in media reporting, both here and in America. The effect she describes demonstrates the extraordinary power of the media, but it is long overdue that we should question their motivation. Any journalist capable of researching the stories she cites will know that the risks of smoking far outweigh that of currently available treatments, even should the links have ever been confirmed. How long can we passively allow the media to irresponsibly play with the lives of our patients, simply to sell newspapers or airtime? Individually, as doctors, we can exert little pressure but we still have to respond to our patients' anxieties with authority and conviction. Recently I was part of a group of doctors and journalists who prepared a report on behalf of Media Medics, the group of doctors interested in the media. The result is a brief guide intended for primary care professionals to prepare and respond to what appears in the media, and there are still free copies available. It is not promotional, and can be ordered on 0207 331 2332 or please e-mail me directly. |
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Charles R M Broomhead, General Practitioner The Hawthorns Surgery, 331 Birmingham Road B72 1DL
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Sir, I find my self in total agreement with the sentiments expressed in Professor Ferry’s article. Of course it is a fundamental function of the media to highlight areas of public concern and in the main this is something that they do responsibly. Unfortunately, from time to time they do us all a great disservice in their quest for a headline-grabbing story. Professor Ferry has used two examples to illustrate her argument and there are others that readily spring to mind. Surely nobody can remain unconvinced of the relationship between cigarette smoking and premature death with more than 300 people dying each day from a smoking related condition in the UK alone. For many smokers, bupropion represents one of their best chances of overcoming their addiction but are we surprised that they are frightened at the prospect of dying from their treatment? Can we blame any doctor for avoiding prescribing a drug that may cause his patient harm? No matter how good the evidence is in refuting a relationship between a treatment and an adverse outcome it never gains the same degree of publicity and penetration into the public arena as that achieved by the original story. The damage is done and as the saying goes, ‘mud sticks’. Hasn’t the time come for the press to avoid the sensational but ill founded ‘medical story’? Considerable effort is spent in teaching health- care workers about evidence-based medicine. Isn’t it time that some of our journalists learnt a little more about this subject too? Charles Broomhead MRCGP General Practitioner and member of SCAPE (Smoking Cessation Action in Primary carE) SCAPE has received sponsorship for educational projects from GSK and Charles Broomhead has worked in an advisory capacity for a number of pharmaceutical companies |
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Bernard C Boyd, Associate Lecturer, Community Health University of The West Indies, Trinidad
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Last month I had frantic calls from three patients about a "dangerous drug" which I had prescribed for them or which had been given in their diabetic clinic. They were referring to an article in a local newspaper taken from an article in the LA Times/Washington Post which was taken from a study reported in JAMA. It stated that "one of the most widely used drugs (metformin)incorrectly prescribed to one quarter of patients taking it ... causing life-threatening complications"...."in patients with poor kidnay function,lactic acidosisis is fatal in nearly half of cases". The study was based on the prescriptions of 100 diabetics in which the researchers found that "nearly one in four had either limited kidney function or congestive heart failure". By the time the average patient has read this, the last paragraph is either missed or is of little concern -"Lactic acidosis triggered by metformin is quite rare ....one in 10,000 cases". Patients should talk to their doctors before making any changes..." Unsurprisingly, I have found that the less discerning patients stopped the medication without even consulting their doctors. A very similar situation arose with the statins, and not a few patients refuse to start the drug. B C Boyd, Family Physician |
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Anne Savage, retired 7 Akenside Road London NW3 5RA
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When Bradford-Hill and Doll published their research I gave up smoking. So, also, did my husband,his 92 year old father and his chain- smoking hospital colleagues. Later our sons all, in their turn,gave up. In later life whenever friends have volunteered their smoking history I have asked how they stopped.I have yet to meet anyone who used menthol cigarettes, clinics, hypnosis or nicotine patches. How did we manage it? Call it 'will power' or what you like surely this method, which does seem to have the advantage of being permanent, should be included as one option? But then I have had so much diamorphine, for a dislocating hip and post-operatively, I should be a degenerate addict by now. Actually I dislike the stuff. Now, temazepam. That's a different matter.I could get hooked on that. We all may be susceptable to an addiction, and we all possess the means of overcoming it. To pretend anything else is certainly not 'evidence based' and blaming the press is just silly. |
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