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What Are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Media in Disseminating Health Information?

Author

Listed:
  • Gary Schwitzer
  • Ganapati Mudur
  • David Henry
  • Amanda Wilson
  • Merrill Goozner
  • Maria Simbra
  • Melissa Sweet
  • Katherine A Baverstock

Abstract

: In December 2004 three news stories in the popular press suggested that the side effects of single-dose nevirapine, which has been proven to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, had been covered up. Many HIV experts believed that the stories were unwarranted and that they would undermine use of the drug, leading to a rise in neonatal HIV infection. The controversy surrounding these stories prompted the PLoS Medicine editors to ask health journalists, and others with an interest in media reporting of health, to share their views on the roles and responsibilities of the media in disseminating health information. The way in which the media report health issues has recently come under scrutiny. What are the the duties of health reporters to their readers?

Suggested Citation

  • Gary Schwitzer & Ganapati Mudur & David Henry & Amanda Wilson & Merrill Goozner & Maria Simbra & Melissa Sweet & Katherine A Baverstock, 2005. "What Are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Media in Disseminating Health Information?," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(7), pages 1-1, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pmed00:0020215
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0020215
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael T M Wang & Mark J Bolland & Greg Gamble & Andrew Grey, 2015. "Media Coverage, Journal Press Releases and Editorials Associated with Randomized and Observational Studies in High-Impact Medical Journals: A Cohort Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-6, December.
    2. Chloe Patel & Lukasz Walasek & Eleni Karasouli & Caroline Meyer, 2022. "Content and Validity of Claims Made about Food Parenting Practices in United Kingdom Online News Articles," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Ruben Sanchez-Sabate & Esteban Zunino & Yasna Badilla-Briones & Natalia Celedon Celis & Daniel Caro Saldías, 2021. "Chilean Digital Press Coverage of the Relation between Diet and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Fadi El-Jardali & Lama Bou Karroum & Lamya Bawab & Ola Kdouh & Farah El-Sayed & Hala Rachidi & Malak Makki, 2015. "Health Reporting in Print Media in Lebanon: Evidence, Quality and Role in Informing Policymaking," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Luca Iaboli & Luana Caselli & Angelina Filice & Gianpaolo Russi & Eleonora Belletti, 2010. "The Unbearable Lightness of Health Science Reporting: A Week Examining Italian Print Media," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(3), pages 1-6, March.
    6. Joseph W Taylor & Marie Long & Elizabeth Ashley & Alex Denning & Beatrice Gout & Kayleigh Hansen & Thomas Huws & Leifa Jennings & Sinead Quinn & Patrick Sarkies & Alex Wojtowicz & Philip M Newton, 2015. "When Medical News Comes from Press Releases—A Case Study of Pancreatic Cancer and Processed Meat," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-13, June.

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