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"Pill could help female athletes beat ligament damage"


ABC News Online

Source: ABC News Online

Published: 18 Feb 2012

Category: Pharmaceutical

Rating: (2 stars)

Keywords: contraceptive women ligament damage

what they said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

For decades sports medicine has known that women are much more susceptible to ligament and tendon injuries than men.

The original article can be found at: http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3433908.htm

how did it rate? (more information)

Criteria Rating
Total Score 3 of 8
Novelty of Treatment Satisfactory (?)
Availability of Treatment Satisfactory (?)
Treatment Options Not Satisfactory (?)
Disease Mongering Satisfactory (?)
Evidence Not Satisfactory (?)
Quantification of Benefits of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Harms of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Costs of Treatment Not Applicable
Sources of Information Not Satisfactory (?)
Relies on Press Release Not Applicable

what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

This story reveals the interesting discovery that circulating oestrogen levels correlate with stretchiness in ligaments and tendons; and that intervention with the oral contraceptive pill reduces this "stretchiness". But the story is spoiled by the lack of detail of the nature of the trial (was it randomised, was it controlled) and the absence of any quantification of the trial results. There is no detail on how less likely subsequent ligament and tendon injuries are for women taking the oral contraceptive pill, nor side-effects from this intervention. A professional critique from a source independent to the research could have addressed many of these issues.

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