by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

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What news headlines around the world said:

“Single Pill Combining Five Heart Drugs Appears Safe.”

What the journalists said:

“Imagine if people at risk of heart disease could take a single pill that would contain all the medications they need to reduce their heart risk.  Such a pill is already a reality and now new research suggests it’s safe and effective.  It’s called a polypill and could soon become a cheap, simple way to prevent both heart disease and stroke.” CTV News

What journalism watchdog Media Doctor Canada said:

 “This story delivers a hyped conclusion on the basis of very poor evidence, yet it calls this a ‘lifesaving’ drug. The published paper and study results reveal that this was a double-blind study that followed patients for only 12 weeks.  How can this drug be called ‘safe and effective’ if it’s taken over many years?

“The concept of mixing different compounds into one pill is very poor medicine. It doesn’t permit physicians to customize the dose for specific patients depending on the patient’s specific risk factors.”   Continue reading “Medical journalism watchdog slams cardiac ‘polypill’ news hype” →