Abstract
On February 4, 2014, The New York Times published an editorial “Overselling testosterone, dangerously”, in which it alleged that the rise in testosterone prescriptions was medically unwarranted, and that scientific studies suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) provided “the most compelling evidence yet that many American men have embarked on a perilous course of overtreatment” [1]. This editorial was the most prominent among a flood of similar stories, and it provided an authoritative position by virtue of the reputation of the NY Times as a leader in mainstream media. In this article, we use this case—the studies on the alleged risk of testosterone treatment and the ensuing media coverage—to discuss how the media often promote a false narrative that negatively impacts public health and policy. > … media reporting of medical studies has been shown to influence not only popular opinion, but also the opinion of healthcare providers and regulatory authorities. The public has a great appetite for health‐related information; indeed, one of the most frequent uses of the Internet is to obtain information about medical conditions and health care. This demand provides a fertile ground for high impact medical news stories, often based on the publication of new study results. Not surprisingly, media reporting of medical studies has been shown to influence not only popular opinion, but also the opinion of healthcare providers and regulatory authorities [2]. What has not been adequately appreciated, however, is how distorted reporting of medical risks promotes false concepts that may persist for years, thereby negatively impacting medical care and public health [3], [4]. The infamous study that claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism has had a massive impact on vaccination rates in Western countries and is still being cited as evidence …
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