Maryanne Demasi

Dr. Maryanne Demasi is an Australian science reporter and presenter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Catalyst television show.

She completed a doctorate in medical research at the University of Adelaide and worked for a decade as a research scientist specialising in rheumatoid arthritis research at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Demasi has also worked as an advisor to the South Australian Government's Minister for Science and Information Economy.

Demasi has been awarded National Press Club of Australia prizes in 2008, 2009 and 2011 for 'Excellence in Health Journalism'.[1][2][3]

In 2014 Demasi was a finalist in the Association of International Broadcasting Awards for her Catalyst programme "Toxic Sugar". David Attenborough won.[4]

Catalyst Controversies

Statin report

Demasi produced and presented two controversial episodes of the science program Catalyst in October 2013, which questioned the link between cholesterol, cholesterol-reducing medication and ill-health.[5] Some individuals and professional organisations within the medical and scientific community responded to the show negatively[6] and the National Heart Foundation of Australia published a nine-page rebuttal of the claims presented in the program.[7] Demasi was accused of bias by ABC's MediaWatch program[8] and received criticism from national newspapers for incomplete and biased coverage of life-threatening health issues.[9][10][11] In response to these allegations, Demasi claimed that participants in the program had been presented with her material and agreed with her interpretation.[12] The National Heart Foundation responded, saying that Demasi had not presented the research,[13] ignored and mis-interpreted the information provided, and selectively edited quotes to invert their meaning. In May 2014 the ABC removed the two episodes from its website [14] after an internal review found that both programs met the ABC editorial standards for factual accuracy, though a section in the second episode breached standards of impartiality. The report also found that the programs were not found to cause any undue harm to the public and took adequate steps to ensure people did not cease their medications without consulting their doctor.[15] Despite the finding of the ABC's report, the MJA claimed that there was a temporary increase in discontinuation of statins and a sustained decrease in the dispensing of statins immediately following the broadcast of the program [16]

Dr Demasi disputed claims that her program "could cause death" and published a rebuttal.[17] Several independent organisations have supported her claims. These include THENNT.com[18] and The Therapeutics Initiative in Canada.[19] The claims reflect an existing academic debate.[20]

Wi-Fried

Demasi produced a report in a February 2016 episode of Catalyst called "Wi-Fried" on Wi-Fi and cellphone safety. The report gave two minutes of coverage to a proponent of the consensus opinion, and 14 minutes of coverage to minority proponents including Devra Davis, who has been criticized on cellphone safety previously.[21][22] Her report was described as unbalanced by Media Watch,[23] criticised by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)[24] and in the general media.[25][26][27][28][29] Demasi defended her report in an article in The Guardian[30] and responded to specific criticism in the Huffington Post.[31] Catalyst also defended the episode in a letter to Media Watch.[32]

References

  1. ↑ https://medicinesaustralia.com.au/media-release/joint-media-release-australias-best-health-journalism-recognised/
  2. ↑ https://medicinesaustralia.com.au/media-release/australias-best-health-journalism-recognised/
  3. ↑ https://medicinesaustralia.com.au/media-release/australias-best-health-journalism-recognised-2/
  4. ↑ http://aib.org.uk/the-10th-annual-aib-awards-cover-the-globe/
  5. ↑ Cathy O'Leary, Medical Editor (2013-11-02). "Patients swamp GPs in anti-cholesterol pill confusion | Health+Medicine". Health.thewest.com.au. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  6. ↑ "Sections of the medical community question Catalyst program about cholesterol and heart disease - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 2013-10-31. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  7. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/1341_heartfoundation2.pdf
  8. ↑ "Media Watch: Catalyst challenges the mainstream (11/11/2013)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  9. ↑ Peter Martin. "ABC report could cause death, says ABC health specialist". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  10. ↑ Peter Clifton (2013-11-06). "Odds of surviving are better with statins". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  11. ↑ Peter Martin. "ABC report could cause death, says ABC health specialist". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  12. ↑ "PM - Backlash against ABC's Catalyst program questioning heart disease-cholesterol links 31/10/2013". Abc.net.au. 2013-05-04. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  13. ↑ "Heart Foundation 'shocked' at ABC decision to run Catalyst program on cholesterol drugs statins - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  14. ↑ "ABC will take down two controversial Catalyst episodes on heart disease". Theage.com.au. 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  15. ↑ "Catalyst 'Heart of the Matter' Investigation Report" (PDF). abc.net.au. 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  16. ↑ "MJA The crux of the matter: did the ABC's Catalyst program change statin use in Australia?". 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  17. ↑ "ABC Catalyst Gets It Right on Cholesterol".
  18. ↑ Graham Walker and The NNT Group. "Statins for Heart Disease Prevention (Without Prior Heart Disease) - theNNT".
  19. ↑ http://ti.ubc.ca/letter77
  20. ↑ "Re: Should people at low risk of cardiovascular disease take a statin? - The BMJ".
  21. ↑ Trottier, Lorne. "A Disconnect between cell phone fears and science". Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  22. ↑ Park, Bob (December 10, 2010). "What's New". Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Media Watch: Catalyst cops criticism over 'Wi-fried?' (22/02/2016)".
  24. ↑ "ARPANSA - News 17 February 2016 - Mobile Phones, Wi-Fi Devices and Health".
  25. ↑ Darren Saunders (17 February 2016). "Do Wi-Fi and mobile phones really cause cancer? Experts respond". The Conversation.
  26. ↑ "News - Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research @ UOW". Archived from the original on 22 February 2016.
  27. ↑ "Scared of frying your brain with Wi-Fi?". RiAus.tv.
  28. ↑ "ABC's Catalyst criticised for linking Wi-Fi with brain tumours". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  29. ↑ "ABC slammed for ‘scientifically bankrupt’ report". The New Daily.
  30. ↑ Maryanne Demasi. "Mobile phones and brain cancer: ‘no evidence of health risk’ is not the same as 'safe'". the Guardian.
  31. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/maryanne-demasi/sometimes-asking-questions-provides-you-with-answers-that-may-be-uncomfortable_b_9267642.html
  32. ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/1604_demasi.pdf

External links

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