News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 18, 2006
New Web site To review quality of health articles
The Web site, Health News Review, established by University of
Minnesota journalism professor Gary Schwitzer in conjunction with the
Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making — will use a team of 20
reviewers from universities and health clinics nationwide to examine
major newspapers, magazines and other media outlets and rate their
health care articles.
Reviewers will rate the articles on a scale of one to five stars
and will post comments about the articles on the Web site. Consumers
can access the Web site at no cost.
"For consumers, we hope it will help them improve their critical
thinking about claims in health care," Schwitzer said. He said some
health care articles lack certain important details, such as
information on the availability of new treatments or the strength of
the evidence behind new studies.
Cristine Russell, a former Washington Post health reporter and a
journalism fellow at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and
Public Policy at Harvard University, said the Web site could prove
"very helpful" for consumers and could encourage reporters to improve
the quality of their health care articles. However, Russell said, "I do
think they have to be careful not to fall into medical or health jargon
or they are going to lose their audience."
Visit Health News Review at www.HealthNewsReview.org.