| Mainstream News: Now Getting It Right! | |
|
Unfortunately, I've gotten used to seeing news articles on Migraine, Cluster Headaches, and other head pain disorders where myths are perpetuated and/or the information is scanty, incorrect, or incorrectly interpreted. Although I'm used to it, I cannot and will not accept it, so I've written my share of letters and email messages politely pointing out the errors in the coverage. Recently, I was cautiously pleased to go to the ABCnews.com main page and find featured there an article entitled "Gaining on the Pain," with the subtitle, "Migraine Sufferers Get More Options as Scientific Understanding Grows." Once I got to the article, cautiously pleased turned to exceedingly pleased. The article, written by Angela Onion, is excellent. Perhaps just as importantly, such an article appearing on the web site of a major news outlet give me hope that more such excellent coverage will follow on not only Migraine, but other head pain disorders as well.
To open the article, Ms. Onion quotes Michael John Coleman (the Director of MAGNUM, the National Migraine Association) relating his first experience with Migraine at the age of six:
"I was looking out the window at school at a green field and my head really hurt. I was seeing spots and stars," recalls Coleman. "My teacher told me to put my head down and I saw a huge mass of clouds approaching. Then I felt nauseous."
I contacted Mr. Coleman for his reaction to and opinion of the article. He commented:
"One of the reasons MAGNUM was created was to make a statement and to get Migraine into the news to encourage understanding and awareness ... A decade later, we're seeing results. The advent of triptans was a double edged sword. In many cases, instead the work of well informed journalists shaping public perception, it was ad campaigns designed by marketing people, marketing people who were good, but didn't necessarily understand Migraine ... old background was used, perpetuating myths ... Some of the milestones toward change were the Life Magazine article on Migraine in 1994, the AMA (American Medical Association) Journal cover story in 1995, and the FDA Journal cover story in 1998 ... the ABC News piece is a Cogent article, helpful to our cause and getting Migraine into the mainstream of social consciousness."
I found
Mr. Coleman's comments on target with my perception of the article. It was well
and thoroughly researched through multiple sources, and the data was well
interpreted. I do wish that they had used the updated statistics showing that
there are over 32 million Migraineurs in the U.S. today rather than a figure
from an outdated report, but the rest of the article more than compensates for
that one flaw.
One paragraph of the article should be encouragement to all of us:
"But recently — only recently — he has become more hopeful about his condition. Better scientific understanding of migraine pain has led to drugs that can target specific causes, rather than offering a blanket-like numbing of head pain. Still, researchers admit, there's a lot left to learn."
The interest in this excellent article was evident from statistics on the ABC site of the number of people who had emailed the article to others. As I monitored those statistics over an eight-hour period, the article went from being ranked sixth to ending the day ranked second, even above stories about Iraq, Israel and Palestine, and other important issues.
ABC and Ms. Onion have set the bar high for other media to follow their example by producing such high quality journalism. They're to be highly commended, but don't just take my word for it. Read the article for yourself at ABCnews.com: "Gaining on the Pain:Migraine Sufferers Get More Options as Scientific Understanding Grows."
Such excellent and accurate media coverage will serve to enhance the effectiveness of advocates such as Mr. Coleman, who is at press time, leaving for a World Headache Alliance board meeting and to represent the U.S. at the week-long 14th Annual Migraine Trust Symposium, both in London. He is hand-delivering powerful bipartisan letters showing support for this major headache and Migraine health event from Senator John R. Warner (R-VA) and Congressman James P. Moran (D-8th District, VA) to The Migraine Trust. Senator Warner is a member of four Senate committees including the powerful Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP). Congressman Moran, a known public health advocate, also sits on four Congressional committees including the Appropriations Committee.
The Annual Migraine Trust Symposium is the longest established International Migraine and headache conference in the world. This year's theme is "Research is the Key." I will be interviewing key participants and reporting on the Symposium next week.
for a printer-friendly version of
this feature, click HERE
to recommend this page to a friend, click
HERE
|
|
|
|
Chat Status: |
|
|
|
|
|
