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• W2028569671 abstract "The commonest myth about science in the media is that journalists are interested only in doom and disaster. The second commonest is that rare reports of good news are invariably ruined by error and sensationalism. The UK media on 10 March provided ample evidence to explode these myths simultaneously. The occasion was the publication of two closely linked papers (Science 2000, 287:1809-1815 and 1816-1820) concerning Neisseria meningitidis serotype B. The first — by researchers in Rockville in Maryland, Oxford and Siena — reported the organism’s complete genome sequence. The second, from these and other centres, described studies on several surface-exposed proteins, conserved in a range of strains, which have been tested as the possible basis for a vaccine. Such was the level of media interest in these announcements that one of the Oxford authors, Richard Moxon, appeared live on both BBC Breakfast News and (20 minutes later) GMTV to discuss their implications. Each programme gave him enough time to explain precisely what had, and had not, been achieved. In neither case did the interviewer put him under pressure to exaggerate the imminence of a vaccine against this form of meningitis. Newspapers showed appropriate caution, too, in some cases by placing the story inconspicuously on an inside page. Thus the Daily Telegraph reported that publication of the genetic blueprint “showed how the ‘genomic revolution’ will fuel medical advances.” The collaborative research team had “found seven surface proteins which can stimulate an antibody response capable of killing the bacterium, and are trying to identify the most promising vaccine candidates.” Even papers that produced longer, more prominent accounts took considerable care not to raise premature hopes among their readers. Writing on the front page of the Daily Mail, for example, science correspondent James Chapman explained: “researchers are confident they can use the genetic information to produce a vaccine. Though that could be four or five years away, tests in mice have already suggested that it will be effective.” Chapman continued, “Scientists say mapping the bug’s genes revealed crucial chinks in its armour, hitherto unknown proteins on its surface which could be used in a vaccine to stimulate the antibody response.” This is hardly the stuff of hype or irresponsibility. So what propelled this piece of arcane molecular biology, with its distant promise of immunisation, into the headlines? Why did the editor of GMTV (a programme whose staple diet is soap opera stars, football managers and mumbo-jumbo on health) give top billing instead to an Oxford professor discussing genome sequencing? Part of the answer is that meningitis is one of those infections which, for obvious reasons, attracts the attention of news editors. Most would also have recalled that only last autumn saw the introducton into the UK of a vaccine against meningitis C — which, nevertheless, accounts for only 40% of cases. Research that could lead to a meningitis B vaccine to prevent the remaining 60% of infections is clearly newsworthy. Probably the crucial factor, however, was the fact that a press release about the 2,272,351 base-pairs of the meningococcus arrived in editorial offices on exactly the same day as news of a human tragedy. Tyler Foster, aged 23 months, had died of meningitis after being moved on a long journey between three different medical centres. The entire chain of events took 10 hours. This was the fortuitous combination of scientific and human interest that the Daily Mail highlighted through two parallel articles occupying its entire front page and much of page two. The Times also ran “Meningitis boy faced 90-mile transfer ordeal” alongside “Vaccine on way to beat deadly strain.” There is a third myth concerning media handling of advances in science and medicine. It is that tabloid newspapers are the worst of the worst, getting most things wrong and trivialising or sensationalising everything. Although there is occasional truth in these accusations, they are often belied by reality. On this occasion, it would be hard to beat the short piece by the medical correspondent of the Mirror, Jill Palmer. “An end to the terror of meningitis may be in sight thanks to a new vaccine being developed,” she wrote. “Scientists have cracked the genetic code for the bug which causes meningitis B — the most deadly form — and the associated blood poisoning. Research has revealed chinks in the bacteria’s armour, proteins which might be used to develop a vaccine.” In a remarkably tight précis, Palmer also recorded the 1,530 UK deaths attributed to meningitis B last year, reminded readers of the recent introduction of meningitis C vaccine and gave the researchers’ locations. She ended by citing one expert’s prediction that immunisation against the B serotype was five years away. This is not exactly irresponsible hackery. Habitual critics of the media, please note." @default.
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• W2028569671 title "An injection of good sense" @default.
• W2028569671 doi "https://doi.org/10.1016/s0960-9822(00)00427-9" @default.
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