William Heisel

<p>A candid email from a university publicist sheds some, but not enough, light on why the university won't provide documents from a controversial Seroquel clinical study.</p>

<p>In Bahrain, 47 health professionals are on trial for helping anti-monarchy protesters. Health writers should keep close eyes on this case and do what they can to keep these heroes from suffering even more.</p>

<p>The Anthony Weiner scandal, to my mind, was the least interesting news coming out of New York political circles last week. The most interesting is the apparent sacking of New York's aggressive Medicaid Inspector General.</p>

We rely on editors. But, when it comes to reporting on scientific journals, we mostly act as if they don’t exist — to the detriment of transparency in scientific and medical research.

<p>Journalists can learn a lot from Reuters Health's investigation into financial conflicts of interest in medical research. Here are some tips for your own reporting.&nbsp;&nbsp;<em></em></p>

<p>Texas sheriff Robert Roberts and doctor Rolando Arafiles, accused of intimidating whistleblower nurses, get their day in court - while Arafiles has found another hospital job despite the controversy.</p>

<p>When a company tries to mimic a well-known and respected brand, health journalists should be suspicious. Consider The Harvard Drug Group. Most people hearing about a pharmaceutical wholesaler with that name might assume that it was affiliated with Harvard University. It's not.</p>

<p>It can be uncomfortable asking people about their finances. In journalism, though, there is an obligation not only to ask, but to ask for proof — especially with clinical trials.</p>

<p>"Octomom" Nadya Suleman went to Dr. Michael Kamrava as a troubled patient. She was treated instead by her physician - who lost his license this week - as a customer. And now the media has chosen to treat her as a criminal.</p>

<p>Doctors and dentists are trying to restrict their patients' ability to rate them on consumer review sites such as Yelp and Angie’s List or even in personal emails. Here are five reporting tips from a doctors rating investigation by the Ars Technica blog.</p>