Newspaper’s HPV Vaccine ‘Exposé’ Scrutinized After Criticism
An investigation into the "dark side" of Gardasil led many in the medical community to pan The Toronto Star's anecdotal findings as not supported by data. In the U.S., the CDC says deaths tied to opioid painkillers spiked in 2012.
The Washington Post:
Botched Newspaper Exposé Of HPV Vaccine’s ‘Dark Side’ Reveals Dark Side Of News Business
The Toronto Star’s front-page feature on the “dark side” of a widely-used HPV vaccine had all the makings of a blockbuster: a grim, gripping headline, vivid accounts from teenagers who died or were debilitated, a wrenching image of a woman holding a framed photo of her dead daughter. But it lacked a crucial component of any scientific investigation: good data. (Kaplan, 2/25)
USA Today:
CDC: Deaths Soared As Narcotic Painkillers Grew Popular
Deaths from prescription narcotic painkillers have soared as the opioid drugs became more popular and powerful, a new federal study found. Four out of five people who used a prescription narcotic painkiller in 2011 to 2012 took pills equal to or stronger than morphine, according to statistics made public Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics. The percentage of people who took painkillers stronger than morphine, which include such drugs as fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone and oxycodone, grew from 17% in 1999 to 37% in 2012, the study found. (Leinwand Leger, 2/25)
