SKUP Pandemic Masterclass

Digging deeper on health and medicine comes with plenty of data to analyse, and a rather complex setting to investigate. Because in this field not only science, but also politics, financial stakes and marketing play a central role. Especially when it comes to new drugs and vaccines. Companies are required to submit evidence to regulatory agencies in order to prove product safety and efficacy, a process that creates major tension between public and commercial interests. How can a journalist assess the evidence in the development and approval stages of a new pharmaceutical product? Where do you start, in order to independently appraise efficacy and safety, and how can you unmask marketing strategies?