Advertising in the world of 'fake news'

Dr. Xavier Julià, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the UB, presents me with a problem that, in times of invasion of fake newsWe need to take this into consideration; even more so when the central issue is medicine. "I am writing to you regarding the advertisement that appears in today's [November 15th] print edition of the newspaper, on page 23, announcing studies in psychoneuroimmunology, 'the medicine of the future'. I am writing to you in my capacity as a practicing physician, concerned about the coverage of TRUE What does the advertiser get for appearing in a newspaper like ARA? It's a pseudoscience, without any basis, and the man who teaches it [Xevi Verdaguer] and promotes it, I believe, is a physiotherapist. Would you publish an ad for an academy that claimed the Earth is flat? Thank you for your attention."

I asked the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat whether the studies mentioned in the car advertisement are officially recognized; Carlos Serrano, head of the University Programming and Organization Service, responded: "The master's degree in psychoneuroimmunology mentioned in this news item is not an officially recognized program. The master's degree in question is not part of our university system and is not endorsed by any official university in Spain. Currently, we have no record of any information or requirements regarding these studies."

I have also requested information from the Hospital Clínic. Dr. Joan Escarrabill, emeritus consultant of the Patient Experience Observatory, sent me various documents that question these disciplines. I've extracted a quote that summarizes it all: "The General Directorate of Professional Organization and Health Regulation of the Generalitat, on several occasions, has taken a position on the emergence of unqualified professionals and, specifically, has made it clear that psychoneuroimmunology is not a qualified health profession nor is it expressly regulated by State Law 44/2003, of 2 (LOPS); and it is not a recognized clinical specialty." This paragraph is part of the complaint that Dr. Nancy Babio, president of the College of Dietitians-Nutritionists of Catalonia, presented on TV3 on September 8, 2021. Gustavo Tolchinsky Wiesen, secretary of the Barcelona Medical Association, on behalf of the Council of Medical Associations of Catalonia, and the director of the Catalan Society of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics and the president of the Catalan Celiac Association. The letter contained a phrase relevant to the email I received from Dr. Julià: "We request that you refrain from advertising psychoneuroimmunology or inviting individuals who promote this so-called 'alternative therapy' which lacks any scientific evidence." The same newspaper, ARA, published an article along these lines back in September 2017, titled "The University of Barcelona eliminates Xevi Verdaguer's postgraduate program," which at the time was called "psychoneuroimmunology."

I asked Esther Vera, the director of ARA, what her position is on this situation and whether the newspaper has the option of withdrawing certain advertisements. First, she explained that the advertisement was an exchange for Verdaguer's participation in a panel discussion organized by the newspaper in conjunction with another advertiser. The event was titled "Aging with Dignity," and, according to the newspaper's sales team, Verdaguer was invited primarily because of his 432,000 Instagram followers and his ability to draw a crowd, given his regular appearances on media outlets such as TV3 and Cadena SER. The director of ARA concluded: "We have advertising limits that this nutritionist would not, in principle, violate, but which are violated by advertisements for gambling, sex, tobacco, or vaping," and cited the example of having withdrawn from advertising with the major tobacco company Philip Morris. "At the newspaper, we are open to listening and will act accordingly if there is a complaint from the College of Physicians."

The Readers' Advocate, having gathered all the opinions, believes that while "psychoneuroimmunology" is scientifically questionable and falls outside the scope of regulated medical studies, its promotion is not subject to criminal prosecution and is protected by freedom of expression, one of the most robust constitutional rights, as verified by the Catalan Mental Health Magistrate. Others—to continue in legal jargon—do not endorse the opinions they publish, where only editorials are, let's say, corporate, and the distance can be even greater when it comes to paid advertising.

From a more philosophical point of view of communication theory, I—speaking on behalf of a Defender role that is intrinsically personal—have always been academically opposed to incorporating the moral connotation of "truth" into journalism and established a "theory of the polyphony of sources" that offers the receiver a panoramic view of the mirror image. I refer to Salvador Espriu who, inspired by the Kabbalah, wrote in Esther's first story"You think that the mirror of truth shattered into tiny fragments at its origin, and each piece nevertheless holds a crumb of genuine light." From this perspective, the judge reminds me that a report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights and health (15/04/2020) proposes an open-minded and rights-based study of "promising practices that depart from the traditional biomedical framework."

Another thing is that, to the already established values of print journalism—particularly in-depth writing, hybrid interpretive genres, large literary formats, the expansion of photojournalism and infographics—we add premium credibility features, along the lines that will be so hotly debated, something Dr. Julià will surely appreciate, given his appreciation for the dynamics of press recycling. In the habitat of recycled paper, a comfort zone in relation to the digital imperative, we should perhaps raise the bar for scrutiny of advertising so that it doesn't become a tax haven for... fakeMeanwhile, I don't know if we would publish an advertisement claiming that the Earth is flat, more out of embarrassment than anything else, but it is a clear empirical certainty that political flat-Earthers today have a vote in Parliaments and are seen in the media.

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