about media doctor

The primary aim of the Media Doctor project is to improve standards of health and medical journalism.

Media Doctor Hong Kong reviews topical news stories about medical drugs, treatments and public health issues, and assesses the stories' quality using a standardised rating instrument. It is anticipated that independent and objective critiques will improve journalistic practices in health and medical news reporting.

Medical news stories are generally accepted to play an important role for both the public and medical professionals (Phillips 1991, Nelkin 1995, Wilkes 1997, Kiernan 2003).

Since medical news stories can have an impressionable impact, the aim of Media Doctor Hong Kong is to promote excellence in health and medical news reporting by reviewing and grading news stories about developments in medicine and health in Hong Kong and the region. It is anticipated that independent and objective critiques will help improve practices in health and medical journalism.

Media Doctor Hong Kong is a sister site of the original Media Doctor website set up in Australia in 2003, and maintains its original objectives.

References

1. Kiernan V.
   Diffusion of news about research
   Science Communication 2003;25:3-13
2. Nelkin D.
   Selling Science: how the press covers science and technology. Media influence and public attitudes.
   New York: WH Freeman, 1995:62-72
3. Phillips DP, Kanter EJ, Bednargzyk B, Tastad PL.
   Importance of the lay press in the transmission of medical knowledge to the scientific community
   N Engl J Med 1991;325:1180-3
4. Wilkes MS.
   Public Dissemination of Medical Research: Problems and Solutions
   Journal of Health Communications 1997;2:3-16