Complaint
During an item about the results of a medical trial involving the drug Semaglutide it was claimed that the risk reduction for the average patient 聽was 20%. 聽A listener complained this was misleading and the real figure was just 0.5% per annum. The 麻豆社 considered whether this met the 麻豆社 standards for accuracy set out in the Editorial Guidelines. 聽聽聽聽
Outcome
The ECU noted the 20% figure was mentioned by a guest and referred to the reduction in relative rather than absolute risk. 聽Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) is an accepted method for interpreting the results of a randomised controlled trial, particularly when looking at the effectiveness of a medical treatment. 聽It is used to indicate by how much a particular treatment reduced the risk of a bad outcome relative to the control group which did not have the treatment. 聽In this case the trial looked at the effectiveness of the drug in reducing cardiovascular events in people with existing heart issues and so the relative risk was a valid measure. The ECU did not therefore believe it amounted to broadcasting misinformation on a health issue.
Not Upheld