text_1: The Claim: Aspirin Can Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
text_2: This story – about whether aspirin can prevent Alzheimer’s disease – only ran about 210 words. It could have used more space to clear up the confusion it causes in reviewing the evidence. The results of the most recent research on the topic, though conducted as a randomized clincial trial, were disregarded in favor of the more appealing result – i.e. that a common, readily available product can be used to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It would have been far more useful to explain about why there may be discrepancies between research studies, how a reader might go about assessing the information, and, when there are differences in outcomes,  how one can make a decision about the options. The story stated that “people who took a low dose of aspirin every day for several years reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 13 percent.”  However the study itself reported that use of low-dose aspirin did not result in a significant reduction in Alzheimer’s disease. Thus the story did not accurately report on these results and compounded this with its concluding statement. The story only listed stomach bleeding and ulcers as side effects of aspirin. The story also failed to include information about often it occurs. However as this is a story about prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, it should have mentioned that the bleeding risks associated with aspirin use increase with age. No experts were quoted; some expert help was needed on this story.