UK researchers: beware the end of July. With it comes the onset of the long summer recess of parliament and, therefore, the media’s “silly season.” MPs disappear for extended holidays (sorry, “fact finding missions”), leaving the country to struggle on, somehow. The resulting lack of political initiatives, relaunches, analysis, speculation, and gossip means that other, supposedly more trivial, items are freer to jostle for coverage. Cue the reporting of medical studies that might not otherwise cut it as stories.

Yes, the season presents more opportunities …