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Toronto Star

"New hope for advanced breast cancer patients"

Toronto Star

16 Dec 2009

Rating: (3 stars)

SAN ANTONIO - Some women with very advanced breast cancer may have a new treatment option. A combination of two drugs that more precisely target tumours significantly extended the lives of women who had stopped responding to other medicines, doctors...
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Calgary Herald

"Combo drug therapies best for helping smokers quit"

Calgary Herald

16 Dec 2009

Rating: (3 stars)

NEW YORK - Nearly one in five smokers offered help in kicking the habit while visiting their doctor's office for a check-up will make a serious attempt to quit, a new study shows.

And in this "real world" setting, the most effective smoking cessation...
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CTV.CA

"Mini pump boosts heart failure survival"

CTV.CA

18 Nov 2009

Rating: (4½ stars)

ORLANDO, Fla. - For the first time, a miniature heart pump shows the potential to become a widely used, permanent treatment for many older people with severe heart failure. But can we afford it?

In a study of 200 patients, the new device increased by...
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CBC.CA

"New drug boosts women's sex drive"

CBC.CA

17 Nov 2009

Rating: (2 stars)

Researchers are hailing a new drug called flibanserin as a possible remedy for sexual dysfunction in women.

Originally created to treat women suffering from depression, the pill was later found to increase the number of sexual encounters and overall...
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CTV.CA

"Study: Cholesterol drugs may improve flu survival"

CTV.CA

30 Oct 2009

Rating: (1½ stars)

A new treatment for swine flu may already be on pharmacy shelves -- cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Lipitor and Zocor.

A large study found that people who were taking these drugs when they caught seasonal flu and had to be hospitalized were...
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CTV.CA

"A world first: Vaccine helps prevent HIV infection"

CTV.CA

24 Sep 2009

Rating: (3½ stars)

Experts are calling it a major breakthrough in the fight against AIDS. Scientists are reporting that an experimental vaccine offers "modest" protection from HIV infection.

A study testing a new vaccine on more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand found...
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CTV.CA

"Shingles vaccine Zostavax arrives in Canada"

CTV.CA

22 Sep 2009

Rating: (2 stars)

Canadian seniors can now help protect themselves against the intensely painful condition called shingles by getting a vaccine that becomes available today.

Merck Frosst Canada's Zostavax, the first and only vaccine to help prevent shingles, is now...
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CBC.CA

"Glaxo vaccine blocks HPV"

CBC.CA

04 Sep 2009

Rating: (3½ stars)

A vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline successfully blocks the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

In documents posted online, the FDA said Cervarix - Glaxo's vaccine against human papilloma...
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CBC.CA

"Testosterone Therapy May Help Men With Heart Failure"

CBC.CA

25 Aug 2009

Rating: (2½ stars)

(HealthDay News) - Injections of the male hormone testosterone increased blood-pumping ability and heart muscle strength in men with heart failure, Italian researchers report.

"From our study, it appears that testosterone supplementation is useful for...
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CTV.CA

"Actos safer for heart than Avandia, study suggests"

CTV.CA

18 Aug 2009

Rating: (4½ stars)

A new study has raised more red flags about Avandia, a widely-used drug for patients with Type 2 diabetes, finding it carries a higher risk of heart failure and death than a similar drug.

The research is prompting some researchers to say Avandia...
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CBC.CA

"Colon cancer survival improved with Aspirin"

CBC.CA

11 Aug 2009

Rating: (4½ stars)

Some people diagnosed with colon cancer who take Aspirin may reduce their risk of dying from the disease by nearly 30 per cent compared with those who don't take the pills, a new study suggests.

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was developed as a painkiller...
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CTV.CA

"Statins cut heart risks even in healthy patients"

CTV.CA

02 Jul 2009

Rating: (1 star)

Even people who do not have high cholesterol and established heart disease could benefit from cholesterol-lowering statin drugs if they have other risk factors, a new study suggests.

In an analysis published on bmj.com, researchers reviewed 10...
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CTV.CA

"New radioactive patch appears to zap skin cancer"

CTV.CA

18 Jun 2009

Rating: (2 stars)

A radioactive skin patch just might become a safe and effective way to treat a form of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma, researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine meeting report.

The small study found that the skin patch does not leave...
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Ottawa Citizen

"New drug combo to help infants breathe easier"

Ottawa Citizen

13 May 2009

Rating: (2½ stars)

OTTAWA - An Ottawa doctor has found a combination of drugs that could reduce the number of babies admitted to hospital for a common lung infection by 35 per cent.

In Canada, about 35 in 1,000 babies are hospitalized with bronchiolitis - an...
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Globe and Mail

"Vitamin E May Slow Alzheimer's Decline"

Globe and Mail

06 May 2009

Rating: (1 star)

NEW YORK -- Vitamin E and drugs that reduce inflammation may slow the decline of mental and physical abilities in people with Alzheimer's disease over the long term, according to new research.

"Our results are consistent for a potential benefit of...
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CTV.CA

"New male contraceptive injection appears effective"

CTV.CA

05 May 2009

Rating: (3½ stars)

An injection for men appears to be just as effective at preventing pregnancy as the birth control pill, finds new research that could revolutionize contraception.

In testing in China, only one man in 100 fathered a child while on the injections, the...
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recent articles

news

Panel at Web 2.0 Conference discusses Health News Reporting

18 Sep 2009

Representatives from Media Doctor Canada, Media Doctor Australia and Health News Review were...
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Now Free Full Access to the Cochrane Library

05 May 2009

All Canadians now have full access to The Cochrane Library, and it's FREE!...
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On tough questions, vital homework, and not wearing face masks: a veteran health reporter's tips

30 Apr 2009

Veteran health journalists delivers some tips for reporters on reporting on flu.
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Public being misled by marketing of medical scans: New research reveals

10 Apr 2009

Authors of a new study warn that private clinics selling high-tech services to screen healthy...
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New Media Doctor Sister site opens in Hong Kong

01 Apr 2009

Media Doctor Canada and Media Doctor Australia have another new sister on the block, Media Doctor...
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what media doctor is

Media Doctor is a website dedicated to improving the accuracy of media reports about new medical treatments.

Media Doctor reviews current news items about medical treatments, assesses their quality using a standardised rating scale and presents reviews of good and bad examples of reports on this website. It is anticipated that these independent and objective critiques will improve journalistic practices in reporting new medications and treatments in Canada.

Read more about our site >>

what media doctor is not

Media Doctor does not provide medical advice, and does not assess the quality of the evidence on which the stories are based; instead we concentrate on the articles themselves. For more information on the treatments featured on this site, visit our links page.

who is media doctor?

The team behind Media Doctor consists of a group of academics and clinicians from the University of British Columbia, York University and the University of Victoria, who have an interest in promoting better and more accurate reporting in the area of medical treatments.

Read more about our team >>

upcoming articles

  • "Combo treatment helps hospital infection"

    CBC.CA

  • "Two new MS medications offer promise - and risks"

    CTV.CA

  • "Fish oil pills show promise in preventing schizophrenia"

    CTV.CA

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