Possible impact of the NHK special questioning cancer treatment in Japan on clinicians' prescriptions of oxaliplatin.
Medical information through media may influence physicians' prescriptions of medication. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) aired on April and May 2005, a special program called 'Questioning Cancer Treatment in Japan', covering oxaliplatin. We investigated potential impact of this program on prescriptions, utilizing a post-marketing clinical trial monitoring of all patients receiving oxaliplatin. The post-marketing clinical trial reached the target sample size of 1200 by the 4th week of May, 44 weeks sooner than anticipated. The newly registered numbers of facilities and patients exhibited a bimodal peak in April and June. The viewer rating of NHK special was 8.3%, whereas three national newspapers and one weekly magazine took up the minor articles of oxaliplatin. In July 2007, 405 clinicians sent a written opinion to NHK, stating 'NHK special invites misperceptions and confusions to public.' NHK special might have had an impact on clinicians' prescriptions of oxaliplatin.
Matsumura
Tomoko
T
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
Yuji
Koichiro
K
Nakamura
Toshihito
T
Beppu
Fumitaka
F
Kusumi
Eiji
E
Hamaki
Tamae
T
Kobayashi
Kazuhiko
K
Kishi
Yukiko
Y
Onishi
Mutsuko
M
Kodama
Yuko
Y
Tanaka
Yuji
Y
Kami
Masahiro
M
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008402:Mass Media; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077150:Oxaliplatin
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin