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Chinese Newspaper Coverage of (Unproven) Stem Cell Therapies and their Providers

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Abstract

China is a primary destination for stem cell tourism, the phenomenon whereby patients travel abroad to receive unproven stem cell-based treatments that have not been approved in their home countries. Yet, much remains unknown about the state of the stem cell treatment industry in China and about how the Chinese view treatments and providers. Given the media’s crucial role in science/health communication and in framing public dialogue, this study sought to examine Chinese newspaper portrayal and perceptions of stem cell treatments and their providers. Based on a content analysis of over 300 newspaper articles, the study revealed that while Chinese newspaper reporting is generally neutral in tone, it is also inaccurate, overly positive, heavily influenced by “interested” treatment providers and focused on the therapeutic uses of stem cells to address the health needs of the local population. The study findings suggest a need to counterbalance providers’ influence on media reporting through strategies that encourage media uptake of accurate information about stem cell research and treatments.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Canada’s Stem Cell Network
and Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) for funding support, Robyn Hyde-Lay, Zubin Master and Sarah Burningham for various contributions during the research and manuscript preparation process, and Jing Zhang for assistance with coding the data.

Disclosures

The authors indicate no potential conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, Health Law Institute and Health Law and Science Policy Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Ubaka Ogbogu

  2. Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Li Du

  3. Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Carleton University & Research Affiliate, Health Law Institute and Health Law and Science Policy Group, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

    Christen Rachul

  4. Health Law Institute and Health Law and Science Policy Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Lisa Bélanger

  5. Faculty of Law and School of Public Health and Research Director, Health Law Institute and Health Law and Science Policy Group, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Timothy Caulfield

  6. 475 Law Centre, University of Alberta, 111 & 89 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H4, Canada

    Ubaka Ogbogu

  7. School of Law, Wuhan University, Hubei, P.R. China

    Li Du

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  1. Ubaka Ogbogu
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  2. Li Du
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Correspondence to Ubaka Ogbogu.

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Ogbogu, U., Du, L., Rachul, C. et al. Chinese Newspaper Coverage of (Unproven) Stem Cell Therapies and their Providers. Stem Cell Rev and Rep 9, 111–118 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-012-9425-0

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