Interview Dr Allan Zimet, AMA Treasurer and oncologist, ABC Radio 'The World Today' - Call for restraint in reporting medical 'breakthroughs'

COMPERE: Ethicists and medical associations are calling for restraint in the media reporting of what are often enticingly called breakthroughs into the treatment of diseases.

Only last week another breakthrough treatment for cancer was announced and we were told that one pill could conceivably replace six to prevent heart disease by up to 80 per cent in people over 55.

But critics of the way in which new research is portrayed are calling on the media to exercise some caution in their reporting of medical issues.

Hamish Fitzsimmons reports.

FITZSIMMONS: By the time news of an idea for a pill to prevent heart disease in over 55s hit thew news last week, one could have been convinced that it was within easy reach of the consumer.

Reports showed pills rolling off the production line, but the fact was it was just an idea, no clinical research had been conducted

The media's reporting of research trial results as fact concerns many in the medical and scientific community.

Cancer specialist, Dr Alan Zimet, would like to see more peer assessment of new research before it's released to the public.

Dr Zimet says he often finds himself having to tell patients some widely publicised breakthrough won't be able to help them.

ZIMET: But it's also very frustrating and difficult for our patients who look to see these miracle cures and miracle treatments just around the corner and ready to be instituted, and it leads to a lot of anger and frustration when you have to explain that these things take a long time to actually come to fruition.

Most clinical research from the idea of somebody having to actually applying it into the clinic takes over five years to actually translate and to become widely applicable, sometimes even 10 years.

I would like a dollar for every cancer cure that's been in the newspapers or on the radio that my patients that have false hope for. Unfortunately, there are lots of cures never translate into anything good for human cancer sufferers.

FITZSIMMONS: How often do you find yourself having to explain to people that the latest, you know, so-called breakthrough won't be able to help them?

ZIMET: Oh, probably once a month.

FITZSIMMONS: Last week, researchers in Melbourne announced they discovered a way to stimulate the immune system, which could help cancer and HIV-AIDS sufferers.

The research is still undergoing tests and has only been done on 56 people.

But the media release proclaims:

MEDIA RELEASE EXTRACT: Monash University scientists have made significant inroads into the treatment of cancer, a development that could give millions of patients a chance at prolonging their lives or even beating the disease. The research, announced earlier this week at the world's biggest scientific convention, BIO 2003 in Washington, is being hailed as one of the most significant advances in cancer treatment in decades.

FITZSIMMONS: Dr Simon Longstaff is the Executive Director of the St James Ethics Centre.

He says there's an element of hype about the way early research results are publicised.

SIMON LONGSTAFF: Firstly, I think it can give false hope to people who are suffering from conditions that there might be an immediate solution around the corner, and secondly it flies in the face of a scientific tradition which really should be putting a balanced search for the truth ahead of the need to raise expectations as a way of boosting, say, some commercial interest.

COMPERE: Dr Simon Longstaff, from the St James Ethics Centre, speaking to our reporter Hamish Fitzsimmons.

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