The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7179 p873-877
22-29 December 2001

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Guidance on media scares launched

A guide for health care professionals on how to anticipate and handle health scares in the media has been launched by Media Medics, a group of practising doctors. Although aimed principally at general practitioners, the guidance may be useful for community and hospital pharmacists.

The guide says that most medical stories in the lay media fall into five categories:

1. Old drug is harmful
2. Wonder drug becomes killer drug
3. New drug offers hope
4. Something genuinely new and different
5. Something bizarre

The guide advises health professionals to keep an eye out for stories that might turn into health scares and to be as informed as time will allow. Professional journals and websites are a good source of information. If a scare breaks, professionals should take patients' concerns seriously, explain risks and benefits, make their advice personal and express their judgement.

The guide, which was sponsored by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline, has case studies covering the third-generation contraceptive pill, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and Zyban (amfebutamone). Copies can be obtained by calling 020 7331 2332.

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