Catalyst program on heart disease breached ABC standards
The ABC breached its standards on impartiality in part of a Catalyst program series on heart disease which presented controversial views on the role of cholesterol control drugs statins.
Catalyst’s two part series aired last October entitled Heart of the Matter drew fire from several health professionals after it presented controversial views on the role saturated fat has on cholesterol levels and heart disease in the first part, and looked at whether statins are an appropriate treatment for heart disease in the second.
The program aired on ABC1 in October generated 146 complaints, 91 of which raised editorial matters requiring response and prompted an investigation by the ABC’s independent Audience and Consumer Affairs (A&CA) unit. Its findings released today found the first part of the series adhered to the codes, however the second episode breaches ABC standards on impartiality.
It has now been removed from the ABC website.
This program was also criticised on ABC’s “Media Watch” in November.
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawat.....888657.htm
In 100 years hence we will know these times as Big Pharma, and will shake our heads in disbelief just as we know do at Big Tobacco.
We should be looking in to Big Pharma and Catalyst was right to investigate this. Nothing wrng with investigating The Heart Foundation, they have so much power over what people are eating and the cholesterol myths out there. What if what we are being told to eat is wrong? There should be more questioning of this. But, sadly, with the attacks on Catalyst, this could stop happening.