ScienceOnline2010 Follow-up: Medical Journalism
The Medical Journalism session at ScienceOnline2010 was held entirely in unconference format and I think it went extremely well. A description of the session can also be found here. We focused on several current issues, including:
- recent scientific recommendations regarding breast and prostate cancer screening
- the frequent lack of statistical understanding when it comes to journalists reporting on medical research
- the difficulty in finding quality medical information on the first few pages of Google search results
- pharma and FDA regulations surrounding social media engagement
Quite often in medical reporting, anecdote trumps data; participants in the session agreed that the best way to report on research is to tell a story, backed by facts.
Session statistics and conversation:
Below is a transcript of Twitter conversation in chronological order of posting during the ScienceOnline2010 session “Medical Journalism”.
Number of Tweets: 36 (average of 1.1 tweets/2 minutes during the 65 minute session) Number of unique Tweeters: 17
Mary_Spiro: Medical journalism #scio10 http://tweetphoto.com/8941812
mindofandre: Discussing the connection between media sensationalism, misinformation and clinical evidence in medical journalism #scio10
Mary_Spiro: Discussing mammagram debate in medical journalism session #scio10
SciTri: Karl Bates on prostate screening: “Turns out there are no computers involved in digital screening. #scio10 #SITT
ivanoransky: “Turns out there’s no digital” in that exam — priceless quote by @klb8s re: prostate cancer in med journalism session #scio10
f1000: app US-originated PR issue but prostate/tsticlr cancer worldwide prob RT mammogram debate in med journalism session #scio10 /via @Mary_Spiro
patriclane: RT @SciTri Karl Bates on prostate screening: “Turns out there are no computers involved in THAT kinda digital screening #scio10
nancyshute: Turns out there’s no computer in that “digital” prostate exam: Best quote of #scio10, from @klb8s at medical journalism session.
jeanniedee: RT @SciTri: Karl Bates on prostate screening: “Turns out there are no computers involved in digital screening. #scio10 #SITT
ivanoransky: I think @nancyshute got @klb8s quote right (& I didn’t): RT@nancyshute: Turns out there’s no computer in “digital” prostate exam #scio10
nancyshute: Instead of calculus in high school, we should teach statistics. @klb8s at #scio10 medical journo session.
thereporat: (agree!) RT @nancyshute: Instead of calculus in high school, we should teach statistics. @klb8s at #scio10 medical journo session.
ivanoransky: I like this but stats R tool of critical thinking, that’s missing RT@nancyshute Instead of calculus in HS teach statistics @klb8s @ #scio10
axiomsofchoice: But w/o calculus…RT @nancyshute: Instead of calculus in high school, we should teach statistics. @klb8s at #scio10 medical journo session.
johnlogsdon: AGREED! But lottery would suffer RT @nancyshute Instead of calculus in high school we should teach statistics. @klb8s #scio10 med jour sess
nancyshute: Q on how to get quality medical information above page 6 in a Google search, from @wjjessen; SEO for scientists and journalists? #scio10
ivanoransky: What good is www.hon.ch (for trustworthy health info) if Google doesn’t take it into account in search algorithm, asks @wjjessen #scio10
nancyshute: Who would be the big losers if we taught statistics in high school? State lotteries, sez @johnlogsdon at #scio10
Mary_Spiro: #scio10 http://www.hon.ch NGO on trustworthy health medical information.
ivanoransky: RT @nancyshute: Who would be the big losers if we taught statistics in high school? State lotteries, sez @johnlogsdon at #scio10
Mary_Spiro: RT @ivanoransky What good is www.hon.ch (for trustworthy health info) if Google doesn’t take it into account in search @wjjessen #scio10
samkrishna: RT @nancyshute: Who would be the big losers if we taught statistics in high school? State lotteries, sez @johnlogsdon at #scio10
younglandis: RT @nancyshute: “Turns out there’s no computer in that “digital” prostate exam” Best quote of #scio10, from @klb8s re @jeffjarvis
mindofandre: Discussing pharma companies and the regulations surrounding social media engagement #scio10
Mary_Spiro: RT @younglandis @nancyshute: “Turns out there’s no computer in that “digital” prostate exam” Best quote of #scio10 @klb8s re @jeffjarvis
nancyshute: PR guy says his pharma clients aren’t in social media because they’re scared of the FDA, Google Sidewiki. #scio10
Mary_Spiro: RT @nancyshute: PR guy says his pharma clients aren’t in social media because they’re scared of the FDA, Google Sidewiki. #scio10
nancyshute: PR guy: I’m tasked by my pharma clients to get a mommy blogger to say something nice about us. #scio10
ivanoransky: Heavily regulated ads RT @nancyshute: APCO rep: pharma clients aren’t in social media bc they’re scared of the FDA, Google Sidewiki #scio10
trickydoc: PR guy: I’m tasked by my pharma clients to get a mommy blogger to say something nice about us. #scio10 /via @nancyshute
nancyshute: Does anecdote trump data? Participants in medical journo session say tell me a story, backed by facts. #scio10
ivanoransky: Med journalism session asks four exes of what happens when your kid isn’t vaccinated. Here’s one from USAToday http://bit.ly/843uKj #scio10
glorialloyd: Just wrote a Sidewiki entry on “Health On the Net Foundation” & its medical honor code certification program – http://bit.ly/5V41uF #scio10
amednews: RT @ivanoransky “Turns out there’s no digital” in that exam — quote by@klb8s re: prostate cancer in med journalism session #scio10
klb8s: Thnx, but not my idea! RT @nancyshute Instead of calculus in high school, we should teach statistics. @klb8s at #scio10
ivanoransky: @amednews Tx for RT-I think @nancyshute got @klb8s quote right & I didn’t: Turns out there’s no computer in “digital” prostate exam #scio10
Categorized as Science
Tagged as fda regulations, google search results, media sensationalism, medical journalism, nancyshute, pr issue, prostate, scio10, screening, session statistics, Spiro
Tagged as fda regulations, google search results, media sensationalism, medical journalism, nancyshute, pr issue, prostate, scio10, screening, session statistics, Spiro
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BoraZ (Bora Zivkovic)
RT @wjjessen: ScienceOnline2010 Follow-up: Medical Journalism [link to post] (includes stats and conversation) #scio10
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wjjessen (Walter Jessen)
ScienceOnline2010 Follow-up: Medical Journalism [link to post] (includes stats and conversation) #scio10
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andrewspong (Andrew Spong)
RT @wjjessen: ScienceOnline2010 Follow-up: Medical Journalism [link to post]
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