1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
Too Much Medicine? Little purple pill is under microscope, by Maura Lerner.
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Oct. 3, 2010
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
It seemed to be the perfect antidote to heartburn – a harmless pill that you can pop once a day and keep misery at bay. That's how Prilosec and its cousins became blockbuster drugs, with over 100 million prescriptions a year in the U.S. alone. This story examines the flipside of that trend: the growing evidence that heartburn drugs are vastly overused, wasting billions of dollars and possibly doing more harm than good.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
For this story, we searched the medical literature for research studies and analyses of the evidence about proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most popular class of heartburn drugs. We sought out expert opinion on both sides, and examined what the pharmaceutical manufacturers themselves have disclosed about the drug research and its limitations. We also interviewed medical specialists, insurance executives and patients to explore how the pills got so popular, and why some former enthusiasts now say it_s an example of a promising innovation that has backfired on the public.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
The Penny George Institute for Complementary Medicine at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, a respected clinical research organization, has become a valuable source when we_re trying to find randomized empirical research on nontraditional therapies and medical techniques.
6. Results (if any).
The story prompted lots of discussion on the Star Tribune website, and was widely circulated by email. Many readers called or emailed to thank us for shining a light on a medical controversy that has been simmering under the radar of many consumers.
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.
No corrections or clarifications have followed.
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Like many medical stories, this one involved a very complex issue with few clear-cut answers. It_s important to trace the history – why did this pill become so popular? What problems did it solve? What were the incentives for doctors and patients to overuse it? And why is it so difficult to change course, even amid growing safety and financial concerns?