Coverage by the news media of the benefits and risks of medications

Background The news media are an important source of information about new medical treatments, but there is concern that some coverage may be inaccura te and overly enthusiastic. Methods We studied coverage by U.S. news media of the benefits and risks of three medications that are used to prevent major diseases. The medications were pravastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug for the prevention of cardio vascular disease; alendronate, a bisphosphonate for the treatment and preve ntion of osteoporosis; and aspirin, which is used for the prevention of car diovascular disease. We analyzed a systematic probability sample of 180 new spaper articles (60 for each drug) and 27 television reports that appeared between 1994 and 1998. Results Of the 207 stories, 83 (40 percent) did not report benefits quantit atively. Of the 124 that did, 103 (83 percent) reported relative benefits o nly, 3 (2 percent) absolute benefits only, and 18 (15 percent) both absolut e and relative benefits. Of the 207 stories, 98 (47 percent) mentioned pote ntial harm to patients, and only 63 (30 percent) mentioned costs. Of the 17 0 stories citing an expert or a scientific study, 85 (50 percent) cited at least one expert or study with a financial tie to a manufacturer of the dru g that had been disclosed in the scientific literature. These ties were dis closed in only 33 (39 percent) of the 85 stories. Conclusions News-media stories about medications may include inadequate or incomplete information about the benefits, risks, and costs of the drugs as well as the financial ties between study groups or experts and pharmaceuti cal manufacturers. (N Engl J Med 2000;342:1645-50.) (C)2000, Massachusetts Medical Society.