Harkness Project Title: Media Reporting of Medications: Good Information or Misleading Hype?
Mentors: Robert J. Blendon, Sc. D., and Steve Soumerai, Sc.D.
Placement: Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Biography at time of Harkness Fellowship: Ray Moynihan, a 1998-99 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy, has been a reporter/broadcaster with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for over ten years. He graduated with an arts degree in 1984, and began his career in journalism at a community radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. He is the author of a recently published book titled, Too Much Medicine? Which explores the current shift towards the use of evidence-based medicine and some of the commercial imperatives operating within and upon the medical profession. He just completed a three part television series, based on the book, that includes interviews with those at the forefront of evidence-based medicine and the Cochrane Collaboration. He has received wide recognition for his work, including awards earned for excellence in medicine and scientific reporting.
Project: Moynihan’s study was designed to explore the extent to which U.S. newspapers and TV news programs are offering the public good, balanced information about the costs and benefits of medications. He analyzed five years of U.S. newspaper and TV coverage of three drugs – Pravachol-pravastatin, Fosamax-alendronate, and aspirin – investigating how benefits and harms were framed, and whether relevant industry ties of those quoted were revealed.
Career Activity Since Fellowship
- Australian correspondent, Radio New Zealand, Ninetonoon, 2005
- Finalist, Walkley Awards, Shortlisted Qld Premiers for Selling Sickness, 2005
- Visiting Editor and Contributor, British Medical Journal, 2003-present
- Washington correspondent, Radio New Zealand, Ninetonoon, 2003
- British Medical Journalists’ Association Award, for BMJ series, 2003
- Australian Council of Deans of Education Excellence in Education Journalism Award, 2002
- Medical Reporter, Australian Financial Review, 2000
- Health and Business Reporter, Australian Financial Review, 1999
Current Position: Australian Correspondent, “Ninetonoon.” (Updated 1/2014)
E-Mail: [email protected]
Selected Publications:
Moynihan R. “Privacy is theft—sharing is caring” BMJ 2014;348:g1320.
Moynihan R, Cooke G, Doust J, et. al., “Expanding Disease Definitions in Guidelines and Expert Panel Ties to Industry,” PLOS Medicine 2013
Moynihan R, Glassock R, Doust J, “The Chronic Kidney Disease Controversy,” BMJ 2013.
Moynihan R, Doust J, Henry D, “Preventing Overdiagnosis:how to stop harming the healthy,” BMJ 2012
Moynihan R, “When less can mean more,” MJA 2012
Moynihan R, “The dos and don’ts of collaborating with industry,” BMJ 2012
Moynihan R, “Times like these you need some “One Four Five” – the power of music,” BMJ 2012
Moynihan R, “One Click Transparency,”MJA 2012
Moynihan R, “A healthy dose of disinvestment,” MJA 2012
Moynihan R, “Assualting Alternative Medicine: worthwhile or witch-hunt?,” BMJ 2012
Moynihan R, “The Greening of Medicine” BMJ 2012
Moynihan R, “A watchdog to bite the giants (corporate medicine),” MJA 2012
Moynihan R, “Is journalism the drug industry’s new dance partner?” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “The downside of anti-depressants,” MJA 2011
Moynihan R,” Health in the Green Economy,” MJA 2011
Moynihan R,” Is Your Mum on Drugs?,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, S”urrogates Under Scrutiny,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “Pharmaville – the Latest Fad in Online Gaming”, BMJ 2011
Moynihan R,” Its Time to Rebuild the Evidence Base,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “A New Deal on Disease Definition,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “Power to the People,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “Overdiagnosis and the dangers of early detection” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R, “Beware the fortune tellers peddling genetic tests,” BMJ 2011
Moynihan R. “Forget sponsorship and free trips--welcome to Pharmacare.” BMJ. 2011 ;4;344:d8316.
Moynihan R. “How to get full, meaningful disclosure.” Med J Aust. 2011 Nov 21;195(10):571.
Moynihan R, “The merging of marketing and medical science: female sexual dysfunction,” BMJ 2010
Moynihan R, “Who benefits from treating Pre-hypertension?,” BMJ 2010
Robertson J, Walkom E, Moynihan R, Bero L, Henry D. “Pharmaceutical industry funding of educational events for pharmacists in Australia: an analysis of data from the first 6 months of a mandatory disclosure programme,” International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2010;18(2):88 – 92
Robertson J, Moynihan R, et. Al.. “Mandatory disclosure of pharmaceutical industry-funded events for health professionals,” PLoS Med. 2009 Nov;6(11):e1000128. Epub 2009 Nov 3.
D’Arcy E, Moynihan R “Can the Relationship between Doctors and Drug Companies Ever Be a Healthy One?” PLoS Med 2009; 6(7): e1000075.
Moynihan R, “Doctors and drug companies: Is the dangerous liaison drawing to an end?” Z. Evid. Fortbild. Qual. Gesundh. wesen (ZEFQ) 103 (2009):141–148
Schwartz L, Woloshin S, Moynihan R, ‘Who’s watching the watchdogs?’, BMJ, 2008. 2008;337:a2535
Moynihan R, Carlisle W, Burne M, Paying the Medical Piper, ABC Radio National, Background Briefing, February 24, 2008
Moynihan R, Health Firms Spruik Drug Firms, The Australian , February 22, 2008, Page 1.
Moynihan R, “Key opinion leaders: Independent Experts or Drug Representatives in Disguise?” BMJ. 2008 Jun 21;336(7658):1402-3.
Moynihan R, “Doctors’ Education: The Invisible Influence of Drug Company Sponsorship.”BMJ. 2008 Feb 23;336(7641):416-7.
Moynihan R, Burne M, Eight-part electronic- video documentary (eVD) series for WHO committee : Making Health Systems Healthier, 2008
Moynihan R, Oxman A, Lavis J, Paulsen E, Evidence Informed health Policy: Using Research to Make Health Systems Healthier Report to WHO committee on Evidence Informed Health Policy, 2008
Sweet M, Moynihan R,” Improving Population Health: The Uses of Systematic Reviews,” Produced by Milbank Memorial Fund, in Collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007
Moynihan R. “Evaluating Health Services: A Reporter Covers the Science of Research Synthesis,” Milbank Quarterly 2004, 82(2).
Moynihan R. “Using Health Research in Policy and Practice: Case Studies from Nine Countries,” Milbank Memorial Fund, 2004.
Moynihan R, Sweet M, :Medicine, the media and monetary interests: the need for transparency and professionalism.” Med J Aust. 2000 Dec 4-18;173:631-4.
Moynihan R, “Making medical journalism healthier,” The Lancet, 2003;361:2097
Moynihan R, Schwartz, L, Woloshin S. „Medicine and the Media, Good information or misleading hype,” chapter in Freemantle N, Hill S (Eds). Evaluating pharmaceuticals for health policy and reimbursement. London, BMJ Books, 2004
Sweet M, Moynihan R, “Improving Population Health: The Uses of Systematic Reviews” Produced by Milbank Memorial Fund, in Collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007 http://www.milbank.org/reports/0712populationhealth/0712populationhealth.html
Moynihan R, Burne M, Eight-part electronic- video documentary (eVD) series for WHO committee : making health systems healthier, 2008 http://www.kunnskapssenteret.no/Artikler/2061.cms
Schwartz L, Woloshin S, Lavis JN, Moynihan R, Oxman AD, Paulsen EJ. “Evidence-informed health policy 4 – Case descriptions of organizations that support the use of research evidence.” Implementation Science 2008, 3:56 (17 December 2008)
Lavis JN, Oxman AD, Moynihan R, Paulsen EJ. ”Evidence-informed health policy 3 – Interviews with the directors of organizations that support the use of research evidence.” Implementation Science 2008, 3:55 (17 December 2008)
Lavis JN, Paulsen EJ, Oxman AD, Moynihan R. “Evidence-informed health policy 2 - Survey of organizations that support the use of research evidence.” Implementation Science 2008, 3:54 (17 December 2008)
Lavis JN, Oxman AD, Moynihan R, Paulsen EJ. ”Evidence-informed health policy 1 – Synthesis of findings from a multi-method study of organizations that support the use of research evidence.” Implementation Science 2008, 3:53 (17 December 2008)
Moynihan R. “All Things Being Equal” Australian Financial Review October 10, 2000.
Moynihan R. “The Painful Opt-out Option” Australian Financial Review October 11, 2000.
Moynihan R. “Sick Health System a US Election Malady” Australian Financial Review October 23, 2000.
Moynihan R, Bero L, Ross-Degnan D, Henry D, Lee K, Watkins J, Mah C, Soumerai SB. “Coverage by the News Media of Benefits and Harms of Medications.” New England Journal of Medicine 2000; 342(22):1645-1650.