text_1: Medtronic insulin pump beats injections in study
text_2: It touts benefits of insulin pumps and blood glucose sensors without mentioning potential harms. It fails to tell readers that the trial included only a subset of patients and thus the results may not necessarily apply to people with diabetes in general. It implies that the improvement seen in the intermediate endpoint measured (A1C blood sugar levels) will actually reduce the risk of eye, kidney, heart and other diseases without making clear that this trial was not designed to reveal differences in actual health outcomes. It makes no mention of the financial ties between the researchers and insulin pump manufacturers, even though the researchers’ published conflict of interest disclosure summary was substantially longer than the news story itself. This thumbnail sketch of medical device trial results that may suit the needs of investors trying to predict stock performance fails to meet the needs of people who need relevant information about ways to manage diabetes. But does it really even give investors the true nitty-gritty they need?