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Media coverage of translational stem cell research might generate unrealistic expectations, according to a pair of researchers.
The team analyzed reports on stem cell research published in major daily newspapers in Canada, the US, and the UK between 2010 and 2013.
They found that most reports were highly optimistic about the future of stem cell therapies and indicated that therapies would be available for clinical use within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
The researchers said that, as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.
“As the dominant voice in respect to timelines for stem cell therapies, the scientists quoted in these stories need to be more aware of the importance of communicating realistic timelines to the press,“ said Kalina Kamenova, PhD, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
Dr Kamenova conducted this research with Timothy Caulfield, also of the University of Alberta, and the pair disclosed their results in Science Translational Medicine.
The researchers examined 307 news reports covering translational research on stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (21.5%), induced pluripotent stem cells (12.1%), cord blood stem cells (2.9%), other tissue-specific stem cells such as bone marrow or mesenchymal stem cells (23.8%), multiple types of stem cells (18.9%), and stem cells of an unspecified type (20.8%).
The team assessed perspectives on the future of stem cell therapies and found that 57.7% of news reports were optimistic, 10.4% were pessimistic, and 31.9% were neutral.
In addition, 69% of all news stories citing timelines predicted that stem cell therapies would be available within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
“The approval process for new treatments is long and complicated, and only a few of all drugs that enter preclinical testing are approved for human clinical trials,” Dr Kamenova pointed out. “It takes, on average, 12 years to get a new drug from the lab to the market and [an] additional 11 to 14 years of post-market surveillance.”
“Our findings showed that many scientists have often provided, either by implication or direct quotes, authoritative statements regarding unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies,” Caulfield added.
“[M]edia hype can foster unrealistic public expectations about clinical translation and increased patient demand for unproven stem cell therapies. Care needs to be taken by the media and the research community so that advances in research and therapy are portrayed in a realistic manner.” 
Media coverage of translational stem cell research might generate unrealistic expectations, according to a pair of researchers.
The team analyzed reports on stem cell research published in major daily newspapers in Canada, the US, and the UK between 2010 and 2013.
They found that most reports were highly optimistic about the future of stem cell therapies and indicated that therapies would be available for clinical use within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
The researchers said that, as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.
“As the dominant voice in respect to timelines for stem cell therapies, the scientists quoted in these stories need to be more aware of the importance of communicating realistic timelines to the press,“ said Kalina Kamenova, PhD, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
Dr Kamenova conducted this research with Timothy Caulfield, also of the University of Alberta, and the pair disclosed their results in Science Translational Medicine.
The researchers examined 307 news reports covering translational research on stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (21.5%), induced pluripotent stem cells (12.1%), cord blood stem cells (2.9%), other tissue-specific stem cells such as bone marrow or mesenchymal stem cells (23.8%), multiple types of stem cells (18.9%), and stem cells of an unspecified type (20.8%).
The team assessed perspectives on the future of stem cell therapies and found that 57.7% of news reports were optimistic, 10.4% were pessimistic, and 31.9% were neutral.
In addition, 69% of all news stories citing timelines predicted that stem cell therapies would be available within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
“The approval process for new treatments is long and complicated, and only a few of all drugs that enter preclinical testing are approved for human clinical trials,” Dr Kamenova pointed out. “It takes, on average, 12 years to get a new drug from the lab to the market and [an] additional 11 to 14 years of post-market surveillance.”
“Our findings showed that many scientists have often provided, either by implication or direct quotes, authoritative statements regarding unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies,” Caulfield added.
“[M]edia hype can foster unrealistic public expectations about clinical translation and increased patient demand for unproven stem cell therapies. Care needs to be taken by the media and the research community so that advances in research and therapy are portrayed in a realistic manner.”
Media coverage of translational stem cell research might generate unrealistic expectations, according to a pair of researchers.
The team analyzed reports on stem cell research published in major daily newspapers in Canada, the US, and the UK between 2010 and 2013.
They found that most reports were highly optimistic about the future of stem cell therapies and indicated that therapies would be available for clinical use within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
The researchers said that, as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.
“As the dominant voice in respect to timelines for stem cell therapies, the scientists quoted in these stories need to be more aware of the importance of communicating realistic timelines to the press,“ said Kalina Kamenova, PhD, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.
Dr Kamenova conducted this research with Timothy Caulfield, also of the University of Alberta, and the pair disclosed their results in Science Translational Medicine.
The researchers examined 307 news reports covering translational research on stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells (21.5%), induced pluripotent stem cells (12.1%), cord blood stem cells (2.9%), other tissue-specific stem cells such as bone marrow or mesenchymal stem cells (23.8%), multiple types of stem cells (18.9%), and stem cells of an unspecified type (20.8%).
The team assessed perspectives on the future of stem cell therapies and found that 57.7% of news reports were optimistic, 10.4% were pessimistic, and 31.9% were neutral.
In addition, 69% of all news stories citing timelines predicted that stem cell therapies would be available within 5 to 10 years or sooner.
“The approval process for new treatments is long and complicated, and only a few of all drugs that enter preclinical testing are approved for human clinical trials,” Dr Kamenova pointed out. “It takes, on average, 12 years to get a new drug from the lab to the market and [an] additional 11 to 14 years of post-market surveillance.”
“Our findings showed that many scientists have often provided, either by implication or direct quotes, authoritative statements regarding unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies,” Caulfield added.
“[M]edia hype can foster unrealistic public expectations about clinical translation and increased patient demand for unproven stem cell therapies. Care needs to be taken by the media and the research community so that advances in research and therapy are portrayed in a realistic manner.”