On HealthNewsReview.org, pharmaceutical policy researcher Alan Cassels critically reviews a spate of effusive news coverage about a tiny, experimental study of a drug treatment for Alzheimer’s. “(T)he Boston Globe story wins the prize for using the most terms that Gary Schwitzer counsels journalists to strenuously avoid in health stories like ‘quite ecstatic’, ‘exceeded their expectations’, ‘significant breakthrough’ and ‘in a different league’,” writes Cassels.
Cassels asks a Canadian Alzheimer’s expert to comment on the study: âIâve seen this stuff for 25 years and they should stop misinforming people about amyloid plaque. We donât know if amyloid plaque is a precursor or an after-effect of the disease. Testing to get rid of it hasnât worked for decades–so weâre beating a dead horse. We need more basic science.â
Some journalists fire another âsilver bulletâ at Alzheimerâs amyloid target (HealthNewsReview.org, March 24, 2015)