Science, Medicine and Health

Why Cover Science, Medicine and Health?

The past 20 years have brought an explosion in the public’s appetite for news about science, medicine and health.

Atomic Bombs, Germ Warfare, Chemical Warfare, Cancer, AIDS, Implants

The race for space, open-heart surgery, organ transplants, reattachments, T-cells and robotic prostheses.

Stories on the Beat

Research Studies Health Effects New Treatments Health-Care Delivery

Occupational health Alternative Medicine Legal and Ethical Issues ‘Translating Science’

Research Studies

The New England Journal of Medicine University of Michigan Duke University Johns Hopkins M.D. Anderson Oschner Clinic Masters and Johnson

Research Studies

Health Effects

General Health– What to eat?– What to drink?– Studies about decaffeinated coffee and

caffeinated coffee– Vitamin C for colds or heart disease– Oatmeal for your cholesterol

New Treatments

Stories about new treatments should explain their success rates, related dangers and side effects.

Cost can also be a factor. Very Expensive Not covered by insurance New procedures with new machines can run

up tremendous costs.

Health Care Delivery From the cradle to the

grave. Medical Science and

modern health care continue to extend the average life span of Americans.

As people live longer, the cost of medical care rises rapidly.

Occupational Health Occupational Health and Safety

Administration (OSHA) Occupational Health and Safety News

Digest OSHA's Job Safety & Health

Quarterly Magazine– http://www.osha-slc.gov/html/jshq-index.html

Alternative Medicine

Biofeedback Acupuncture Chiropractor Herbs Magnets Copper, silver, gold Peach pits

Legal and Ethical Issues

State Medicare rules and regulations may disallow certain life-saving procedures like bone marrow transplants.

Fund-raising efforts for the child who cannot afford treatment puts the news media in a position of choosing who gets the story and who doesn’t.

‘Translating Science’ deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) DNA is used in all types of

investigations from paternity suits to forensics.

Many victims of the WTC disaster are being identified from DNA from their ashes.

Covering the Beat

Gathering Background– NEXIS, Reader’s Guide to Periodicals

Dealing with Sources– The Public Information Officer, Press Releases,

Always do your homework

‘Selling Science’

Showing off research to get the publicity serves the science community well if they want to apply for grants.

Breakthroughs in research may be just milestones in a certain project.

Exploitation of the press can also get certain researchers advancement or job offers elsewhere.

Covering Local Health Care

Changing Focus The Medical Marketplace Quality of Care

Regulation of Medical Providers

Universities and Medical Centers

Local Corporations

Writing About Research Handling Complex Information

– Avoid Jargon, Provide Background, Make it Familiar and Simple, Use Numbers

The Reluctant Scientist– Scientists speak and write in a precise language

often understood only by other scientists.– Professional groups offer workshops for

medical and science writers.

Specialized Dictionaries

The Facts on File Dictionary of Health Care Management

The Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health

Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary Dictionary of Behavioral Science The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Science The Facts on File Dictionary of Science

The End