Science, Medicine and Health

1. Science, Medicine and Health

2. 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.

3. Research Studies Health Effects New Treatments Health-Care Delivery Occupational health Alternative Medicine Legal and Ethical Issues ‘Translating Science’ Stories on the Beat

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

5. Research Studies

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. Alternative Medicine • Biofeedback • Acupuncture • Chiropractor • Herbs • Magnets • Copper, silver, gold • Peach pits

11. 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.

12. ‘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.

13. Covering the Beat • Gathering Background • NEXIS, Reader’s Guide to Periodicals • Dealing with Sources • The Public Information Officer, Press Releases, Always do your homework

14. ‘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.

15. Changing Focus The Medical Marketplace Quality of Care Regulation of Medical Providers Universities and Medical Centers Local Corporations Covering Local Health Care

16. 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.

17. 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

18. The End