Los medios de comunicación y los avances biomédicos / Mass media communication of biomedical advances

The public dissemination of advances in biomedical research and clinical medicine generates several difficulties and problems. Mass media have the responsibility to report accurately and in a comprehensive way, and physicians and researchers mustprovide this information in a timely manner and without bias. Afíer reviewing the ¡iterature related to this subject and discussing some examples of inadequate information in the Chilean context, the authors suggest the foüowing recommendations: journalists should compare and evalúate the information appropñately before its publication, researchers and journalists should work together, reports should inform clearly about the state of the research and every academic institution should avoid reporting publicly preliminary experiences. If these recommendations are foüowed, the general public, physicians, researchers and health care institutions will be benefited.