In one of several examples, the NEJM author highlights a 2006 study that explored whether eating a low-fat diet might affect a woman's risk of heart disease, breast cancer and other diseases. In their reports, many media sources concluded that eating less fat had no effect on rates of disease in women. This, in itself, was a false conclusion, as the study had found that breast cancer rates were 22 percent lower among women who sharply reduced their fat intake. But besides this omission, almost none of the coverage mentioned an earlier study that had found that a low-fat diet cut the risk of breast cancer recurring in women who'd had the disease. Without these pieces of information, people were left with the impression that eating a low-fat diet had no beneficial effect on women's risk.

The NEJM editorial challenges medical journalists to refocus on delivering "accurate, complete and balanced messages about health." The author suggests journalists critique their work by asking themselves: "On the basis of my news account, what would a prudent person do or assume about a given medical intervention, and did I therefore succeed in delivering the best public health message possible?"

But, as prudent readers, what should we watch out for? The advice the editorial gives for journalists also provides insights into ways to read news stories more carefully.

• Look for context: If one study finds one result, this doesn't mean that others haven't found something different. The best reporting provides a sense of the research that has come before. 
• Be wary of headlines: Sometimes the headline or the lead paragraph oversells or misrepresents what the research found. Try to unspin the spin by looking at the actual findings. If something doesn't add up, read a different report on the study or, if you're feeling ambitious, look at the study itself (you can often access a free summary—called an abstract—on the Web site of the medical journal that published the research).
• Watch out for hit-and-run journalism: Studies on complex health issues and treatments usually deserve more than a few inches of print or a couple of minutes of airtime.

What you need to know. The editorial points out that many journalists do a fine job. The challenge for readers is separating out the good reporting from the not-so-good. Good reporters put research into context, focus on the actual results, and present them in a way that helps you work out what the results mean for you.

—Sophie Ramsey, patient editor, BMJ Group

ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use.

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