Trusting the media....was Should you trust health advice from internet forums? - Times Online

[Guest guest]

A link from one of the links in the

excellent article that Kathy posted was to http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document & doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050118 & ct=1

(or http://tinyurl.com/48hs47 ) which

highlights just why we should all be very wary of newspaper and other media

reports of ‘breakthroughs’ and other breathless announcements of significant

advances in the treatment of prostate cancer or any other disease.

All the best

Terry Herbert

I have no medical

qualifications but I was diagnosed in ‘96: and have learned a bit since

then.

My sites are at www.yananow.net and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za

Dr

“Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of

the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate

data "

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Kathy Meade

Sent: Saturday, 15 November 2008

12:16 PM

To: Kathy Meade

Subject:

Should you trust health advice from internet forums? - Times Online

According

to Dr Murray, a GP and a researcher at University College London's

Primary Care and Health Unit, doctors can deliver the clinical details of a

condition, but they sometimes struggle to understand the emotional and social

implications. This is where patient websites come into play, and she believes

they hold a vital role. “It is a real human need to discuss experiences

and put these in the context of other people's experience. Research shows that

people really like to know what their illness has meant to other sufferers on

an emotional, social and practical level.”

To read

the entire article

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5154795.ece