Are the supplements we’re taking made with active ingredients, or are they fake? A panic has started after botanist Steven Newmaster and former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman conducted studies about fake supplements. Using DNA barcoding techniques, they found that 80% of herbal supplements lacked active ingredients. The pro-supplement American Botanical Council struck back, arguing that the use of DNA barcoding was inappropriate as many herbal supplements are plant extracts that don’t include plant DNA. Some argue that Newmaster and Schneiderman used not just unreliable but totally misleading research methods. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
