Behind the Headlines

No proof that red hair raises skin cancer risk

Monday May 13 2013

'Redheads are at increased risk of skin cancer even if they don't spend time in the sun,' is the headline on the Mail Online website. The story refers to a discussion piece in a journal that outlines theories about the results…

Young blood may help rejuvenate old hearts

Friday May 10 2013

The Daily Mail claims a study has found a ‘Vampire treatment that rejuvenates ageing hearts’. But before you go to grab your cloak and false pointy teeth, the research it reports on was actually in mice…

Pollution may increase diabetes risk

Friday May 10 2013

‘Children's exposure to traffic pollution could…lead to diabetes' BBC News explains, reporting on a German study. The study included around 400 children aged 10…

US guidelines recommend CT scans for smokers

Thursday May 9 2013

Older people with a history of smoking heavily should be offered annual low-dose CT scans to screen for lung cancer according to new US guidelines reported by the Reuters news agency. These guidelines recommend that annual CT...

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Are the middle classes in denial about alcohol use?

Thursday May 9 2013

"Middle class professionals… are the country’s biggest problem drinkers," is the stark and somewhat misleading claim in The Daily Telegraph, with similar claims appearing across the UK media. The story is based on a study looking at 49 ‘white collar’…

Call for improved safety data on medical implants

Wednesday May 8 2013

The need to improve the safety of medical devices such as hip and breast implants made the headlines today. The Daily Telegraph reports that experts are calling for an end to the "secrecy" surrounding how they are regulated...

Antibiotics may help ease chronic back pain

Wednesday May 8 2013

News that back pain could be "cured" by antibiotics has prompted wide media coverage, with The Independent reporting that, "Half a million sufferers of back pain 'could be cured with antibiotics'." The headlines are based on…

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Hungry shoppers may choose unhealthier foods

Tuesday May 7 2013

"Hungry shoppers 'buy more calories'," BBC News reports in a story based on a very small short-term and somewhat artificial study. The study examined the effects of people skipping meals due to everything from busy lifestyles to…

No evidence of cure to prevent hair going grey

Tuesday May 7 2013

'Cure for grey hair is on its way say scientists' the Daily Mirror reports. It is just one of many headlines that failed to reveal that the research in question had nothing to do with hair colouring – but the skin condition vitiligo…

Breast cancer rates in under-50s at record high

Friday May 3 2013

Much of the UK media are covering the release of alarming data compiled by Cancer Research UK that indicates breast cancer rates in the under 50s are now at a record high. Changes in childbirth patterns and alcohol consumption could be to blame…

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