Premature Ejaculation in the News: How Headlines Influence Our Thinking

BY HARRIET HALL, M.D.

NO, THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEX. EJACULATION doesn’t only mean discharge of semen, it also means “a short, sudden emotional utterance.” People make verbal ejaculations when they’re excited or have something important to say. Headlines are frequently ejaculations. They often express premature enthusiasm, hyping the questionable results of a new research study as if it were already well established truth. They may trumpet “Cancer cured!” when the accompanying article describes a minor improvement (not a cure) in laboratory rats. The headline is designed not for accuracy, but to entice the reader to read on. In a recent example, Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT) was hyped as a one-time, one-second, noninvasive cure for everything. It was a clear case of premature ejaculation.

Stem Cells are Promising

Stem cells have captured the imagination of the public. They are “sexy.” They offer the hope of eventually being able to fix anything that might go wrong with the body from injury, disease, or aging. Unscrupulous clinics in the U.S. and around the world are already offering various kinds of stem cell treatments. In most cases, the treatments they offer have not been tested for effectiveness or safety and they can be harmful, even deadly. The FDA is cracking down and has warned the public to avoid stem cell treatments that are not FDA approved or part of a clinical trial. But questionable and illegal stem cell treatments are still being offered in the U.S. and medical tourism to stem cell clinics in other countries is thriving.