Behind the Headlines provides an unbiased and evidence-based analysis of health stories that make the news and is frequently updated to respond to the top health stories featured in National Media.
Each day health stories that are making the headlines are selected and analyzed by researchers. These independent experts check the findings and assess the research methods to provide a more considered view to the story. The results of this evidence-based analysis are then made available via the Behind the Headlines pages here on NHS inform.
The service, intended for both the public and health professionals, endeavors to:
- provide an unbiased and evidence-based analysis of health stories that make the news,
- respond to news stories the day they appear in the media.
- provide an trustworthy resource for Health Professionals which they can rely on when talking to patients, and
- become a trusted resource for journalists and others involved in the dissemination of health news.
How you can read health news
We are not able to analyse every piece of health news that you may see, so you will find below some guidance on how to examine the information for yourself.
Does the article support its claims with scientific research?
Does the article give details about published research that has been undertaken that fully supports what treatment or lifestyle it is discussing? If it doesn't, treat the advice given with caution.
Is the article based on a conference abstract?
If the article has taken its information from a conference abstract, the research is probably in its early stages and will not have gone through the same amount of scrutiny as when the research will be fully completed. You will also probably not be able to look in any detail at how the research has been carried out.
Did the research involve humans?
Some research will be conducted on animals or cells in the first instance and may seem to have promising results at that stage. But once the product or theory is tested on humans the results are sometimes not so promising. So if you find an article where the research has not yet been tested on humans you should treat the information with caution as it might not work in humans. It may also take many years for the research to be completed fully and for any outcomes from the results to be available.
Did the study have a control group?
The researchers should have control groups so they can make comparisons between them. An example of this would be when testing a new treatment, one group will be given the new treatment and the second group may be given the normal or no treatment. The results/outcomes between the groups will then be compared, which helps to add levity to the research. Bear in mind that the larger the group being studied the better the results are at representing the group.
It is also important the participants match as near as possible the relevant groups that will be using the treatment.
Who paid for and conducted the research?
There could be a potential for conflict of interest if an organisation who has funded the research has a vested interest in the outcome of the research. Such as research on eating sunflower seeds is good for your hair being sponsored by sunflower growers. This is not always the case but it is something to be aware of when looking at Health news.
Is the journalist at fault?
On occasion journalists may misinterpret the research but sometimes the people involved in the research may make exaggerated claims which aren't supported by the outcomes of the research.
It is worth asking the questions above to decide for yourself what you should believe or not.
Links to the headlines
All Behind the Headlines articles will contain a section titles "Links to the Headlines" this provides a link to the online versions of the article, from the media agencies who have reported it. This allows you to read the media reports for yourself.
Links to the science
Where the articles are discussing recent research or published papers, the Behind the Headlines articles will feature a "links to the science" section. This provides you with a link to the original research papers so you can review them yourself.
Last Updated: 27 April 2012