Del Signore Anthony, Murr Andrew H, Lustig Lawrence R, Platt Michael P, Jalisi Scharukh, Pratt Loring W, Spiegel Jeffrey H
Departments of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Aug;137(8):746-50. doi: 10.1001/archoto.2011.75. Epub 2011 May 16.
To evaluate the accuracy and scientific evidence supporting product claims made in print advertisements within otolaryngology journals.
Cross-sectional survey with literature review and multiple-reviewer evaluation. Fifty claims made within 23 unique advertisements found in prominent otolaryngology journals were selected. References to support the claims were provided within the advertisements or obtained through direct request to the manufacturer. Five academic otolaryngologists with distinct training and geographic practice locations reviewed the claims and supporting evidence. Each physician had substantial experience as an editorial reviewer, and several had specific training in research methodology and scientific methods.
Of the 50 claims, only 14 were determined to be based on strong evidence (28%). With regard to the supporting references, 32 references were published sources (76%), while 3 references were package inserts and/or prescribing information (7%). Interobserver agreement among the reviewers overall was poor; however, when 3 or more of the reviewers were in agreement, only 10% of the claims were deemed correct (n = 5). Reviewers also noted that only 6% of the claims were considered well supported (n = 3).
Advertisers make claims that appear in respectable journals, but greater than half of the claims reviewed were not supported by the provided reference materials.
评估耳鼻喉科期刊印刷广告中产品宣称的准确性及支持这些宣称的科学证据。
采用文献综述和多评审员评估的横断面调查。从知名耳鼻喉科期刊的23则不同广告中选取了50条宣称。广告中提供了支持这些宣称的参考文献，或通过直接向制造商索取获得。五名具有不同培训背景和地域执业地点的耳鼻喉科医学专家对这些宣称及支持证据进行了评审。每位医生都有丰富的编辑评审经验，其中几位还接受过研究方法和科学方法的专门培训。
在这50条宣称中，只有14条被确定有充分证据支持（28%）。关于支持性参考文献，32条是已发表的资料（76%），3条是包装说明书和/或处方信息（7%）。评审员之间的总体观察者间一致性较差；然而，当3名或更多评审员意见一致时，只有10%的宣称被认为是正确的（n = 5）。评审员还指出，只有6%的宣称被认为有充分支持（n = 3）。
广告商提出的宣称出现在知名期刊上，但超过半数的被评审宣称未得到所提供参考资料的支持。
