Press releases in neurosurgery: is scientific accuracy compromised in public reporting of neurosurgery research?

Abstract

Press releases describing medical research are commonly used by academic medical centers to present their research to public audiences. Press releases may be written by public relations teams who lack formal scientific training and aim to generate publicity surrounding new research. To the authors' knowledge, press releases on neurosurgery have not been assessed for their presentation and potential misrepresentation of scientific findings. Using the search term <Neurosurgery>, the authors identified the 100 most recent press releases published on EurekAlert! (eurekalert.org) between October 2022 and October 2024 that met inclusion criteria. Each was evaluated using a validated spin classification model to assess for misleading reporting, claims, or inappropriate extrapolation. Titles, article authors, quotations, and study limitations were also reviewed. Three members of the research team independently extracted data on predefined variables and resolved discrepancies by consensus. The authors identified 100 eligible neurosurgery-related press releases. Functional neurosurgery was the most frequently represented subspecialty (43%), followed by brain tumor (14%), vascular (9%), spine (6%), pediatrics (6%), and technology/AI (6%). About one-third of press release titles (37%) were misleading, often exaggerating findings or implying clinical implications beyond the scope of the research. Among press releases describing in vitro or animal studies, 50% inappropriately extrapolated results to humans. Quotations from article authors appeared in 93% of press releases. Overall, 73% of press releases contained at least one form of spin-most commonly misleading reporting (44%), misleading claims (29%), and inappropriate extrapolation (22%). Press releases may misrepresent scientific research for the sake of generating publicity. Patients may rely on press releases for a simplified summary of research. Misleading press releases could give patients and their families false hope and/or cause patients to make adverse decisions about their health. The authors hope that these results will increase awareness among researchers in neurosurgery about the way their work is communicated to the public and inspire the release of more accurate neurosurgery press releases in the future.