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In a series of blog posts for the Columbia Journalism Review, CJR Contributing Editor Trudy Lieberman takes the press to task for its under-coverage of both candidates' proposals for health insurance reform. And she explains why Obama's plan is neither 'national' nor 'universal.'
At the forefront of retail medicine are the many companies selling genetic testing over the internet. But in recent months over a dozen of these companies have received cease-and-desist letters from state regulators. Biomedical ethics professor David Magnus explains the stakes when we lose the right to hear the story our genes tell about us.
The ability to search through massive amounts of data, Google-style, is having far-reaching effects. And, according to Wired Magazine's Chris Anderson, one of the most significant casualties may be the venerable scientific method. He explains why in the age of the petabyte, scientific testing is forever changed and why the numbers now speak for themselves.
One of the biggest concerns surrounding veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is the high rate of post traumatic stress disorder. But Dr. Skip Rizzo, a research scientist at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, says virtual reality might help. Using a modified video game, a V.R. headset and even smells he's successfully treated vets.
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study this week claiming that esteemed doctors frequently put their name on the byline of studies published in medical journals - when the studies were actually written by pharmaceutical companies. JAMA's editor-in-chief Dr. Catherine DeAngelis explains what steps medical journals should take to prevent this practice.
An undercover video of a downer cow being dragged into a slaughterhouse at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Company was featured in thousands of news stories this week. Humane Society of the United States CEO Wayne Pacelle explains why these images so successfully captured the media’s attention.
A study out this week found that manufacturers of antidepressants are publishing their successful clinical trials and burying their failures. For those that rely on antidepressants this is another reason to feel bad, but medical reporter Jeanne Lenzer explains why Pharma's selective memory has potential side effects for anyone taking medication.
For decades, the consumption of news has complicated our consumption of food. So says Michael Pollan, professor of science and environmental journalism. He explains how health studies, the reporters who love them and especially food labels have left us poorly fed and informed.
