1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
Bad to the Bone by Jessica Snyder Sachs
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
May-June 2010 issue of VIV magazine
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Certain osteoporosis drugs can put women at risk for other skeletal problems. This story looked at the benefits and often serious risks of bone preservers (biophosphates), bone stimulators (teriparatide), estrogen impersonators (such as raloxifene), calcium savers (calcotonin) and other osteoporosis drugs on the horizon.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
FDA alert regarding biophosphonates FDA approval status regarding raloxifene for breast cancer risk reduction NIH paper on statistics for fracture reduction and raloxifene American College of Rheumotology/teriparatide NIH analysis on post-menopausal osteoporosis NEJM/denosumab in post-menopausal women w/low bone mineral density NIH schlerostin antibody treatment & bone formation NATURE MEDICINE potential bone anabolic treatment/osteoporosis
5. Explain types of human sources used.
Matthew Drake, M.D.endocrinologist, Mayo Clinic Michael McClung, M.D. director of the Oregon Osteoporosis Center, Portland
6. Results (if any).
This story preceded by several months a major news story on this same subject.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
None
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
What makes this story so effective is that the writer saw through the advertising campaigns of these drugs directed at older women and named the serious risks involved. It is always best (but not easy) to simplify the information so that it can be easily understood by consumers.