(Dr. Brian Goldman/CBC Radio) — Governments have been accused of trying to spin the news to their political advantage. It turns out that some medical researchers may be tempted to do the same. A study just published in PLOS Biology has uncovered a heap of hype in medical science.

Spin is defined as research conclusions that distort the interpretation of the study results and mislead readers by putting results in a more favourable light. Experts from the University of Sydney in Australia reviewed 35 research papers that analysed so-called ‘spin’ in hundreds of previously published research studies. Some of the studies were controlled clinical trials comparing one medication to another or to a placebo. Some were observational studies in which original researchers made no attempt to eliminate bias. And some of the papers were systematic reviews that combine the results of several studies.

“A well-spun bit of research peddles false hope to patients and families desperate for good news. It may also induce patients to volunteer for the wrong reasons as research subjects in clinical trials.”

What the experts found was a lot of hype. They found spin in randomised clinical trials – the purest and least-biased form of medical research. They found spin in 26 per cent of systematic reviews. And, they found spin in a whopping 84 per cent of uncontrolled observational studies, making these the worst offenders.