text_1: Laser-Based Dermatological Procedures Could Be Revolutionized with New Techniqu
text_2: This news release claims that a device being developed at the University of Missouri could revolutionize treatment to remove tattoos, birth marks and port-wine stains based only on a test on some pig skin…and that pig didn’t even have any tattoos or other markings. The release quotes a researcher who hopes “the procedure will be available widely in the near future.” But there’s no evidence to support that statement either. While the release is peppered with claims that this device that combines laser light with ultrasound pulses will be safer and more effective, that’s not what the experiment tested. The researchers showed only that their device was able to push more laser light through a piece of pig skin than a conventional laser. Their assumption that increasing transmitted optical power will improve clinical effectiveness has yet to be tested. Neither benefits nor harms are put in numerical context. Alternatives are not mentioned. We applaud the release writers for including a link to a patent application, which provides more detail about the device and highlights potential benefits to the researchers. The release notes that the work was funded by a program to support commercialization of academic research. There are objective statements about research results, and then there are marketing statements in support of a product. This research was supported by a University of Missouri’s FastTrack grant. According to the university’s web site, such grants “are not to be used for basic research, but to evaluate the commercial potential of existing research.” But when journalists and others receive a news release from University of Missouri Health they should be able to trust that academic standards hold more sway than marketing interests.