Press releases: translating research into news
Steven Woloshin1, Lisa M Schwartz
1VA Outcomes Group, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, VT 05009, USA.
JAMA
|June 1, 2002
Summary
Medical journal press releases often omit study limitations and industry funding details. Data presentation in these releases can exaggerate findings, impacting accurate scientific communication.
Area of Science:
- Medical Communication
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- Medical journals aim for accuracy and acknowledge limitations.
- Press releases may not fully represent the accuracy or limitations of published research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate how medical journal press releases communicate study limitations and industry funding.
- To analyze data presentation formats in press releases for potential exaggeration.
Main Methods:
- Telephone interviews with press officers from 9 prominent medical journals.
- Analysis of 127 press releases issued by these journals.
Main Results:
- Only 23% of releases mentioned study limitations.
- Industry funding was disclosed in only 22% of relevant studies.
- Data presentation formats in releases may inflate the perceived importance of findings.
Conclusions:
- Press releases frequently fail to highlight study limitations and industry funding.
- The way data is presented can lead to an overestimation of research impact.
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