The media and clinical research

Abstract

The news media are an increasingly important source of information about new medical treatments. The media can be persuasive, pervasive, and can influence health care beliefs and behaviors. This chapter briefly addresses the maturation process of medical controversy, discusses some of the reasons for the “tension” that develops between scientists and the media, and hopefully allows the reader when they are asked to discuss their research findings, to develop some strategies for dealing with the media.