Health and science journalist Deborah Cohen tells us what a career in medical journalism looks like
Deborah Cohen, award-winning health and science journalist and investigative editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), has reported for Panorama, Newsnight, Channel 4 News and Dispatches, to name a few.
Having gained a medical and surgical degree before entering the journalism industry, she has worked closely with the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine on issues of research integrity.
Cohen has had a particular focus on health reporting, from highlighting false claims by sports drinks manufacturers, to going undercover to show how EU authorities would be prepared to allow a fake hip prosthesis with dangerous design flaws onto the market.
"You can't debunk bad science by doing bad science," she said.
"Your audience are experts, and they will pull you apart if you get something wrong – so you have to be absolutely water-tight.
"I'm doing the dirty digging and spade work that doesn't always make you popular."
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