TASK DEFINITION: Given a paragraph, generate a claim that is supported by the given paragraph. 1) The claim must contain information from within the paragraph. 2) A sentence within the paragraph can be used as a claim. 3) The claim should not have contradictions within the paragraph. 4) The claim should be at most one sentence long.
PROBLEM: Amid mounting global concern over the public health implications of so-called e-cigarettes, Touraine said they faced the same fate as traditional ones: a ban on smoking in public spaces and sales to minors and a blackout on media advertising. In a country where the pungent waft of Gaulloises and Gitanes once seemed an unassailable part of cafe culture, smokers have long been banished to outdoor terrace seats. The near-odorless electronic alternative - battery-driven devices that allow users inhale odorless nicotine-laced vapor rather than smoke - are gaining ground in no-go zones such as bars, cafes, trains, waiting rooms and offices. A government-commissioned report said this week that around 500,000 people in France had turned to e-cigarettes, which are designed to look like cigarettes although some come in different colors, and recommended a crackdown on public use. Health officials in many countries say the impact of electronic cigarettes on health needs further study. Another worry they cite is that the electronic alternative will increase the general temptation to smoke, including enticing those who have quit to start again, or that smokers may use them alongside rather than instead of regular cigarettes. "This is no ordinary product because it encourages mimicking and could promote taking up smoking," said Touraine, who announced her plans at a news conference. In the United States, the number of smokers who have tried out e-cigarettes doubled to one in five in 2011 and the number of all adults trying it doubled too, to 6 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In France, a country of 66 million, the government says tobacco smoking kills some 66,000 people a year and another 5,000 are killed through passive exposure to smoke. The expert in charge of the French report advised against an outright ban on e-cigarettes, however, saying they still seemed safer than tar-laden tobacco. Electronic cigarettes, whose invention is widely credited to a Chinese pharmacist a decade ago, usually comprise disposable cartridges of liquid such as propylene glycol that is easily turned to vapor and can contain artificial flavors alongside concentrated liquid nicotine.

SOLUTION: France to ban electronic cigarettes in public.

PROBLEM: The story provided no cost estimates for vitamin and mineral supplements. The magnitude of wasted expenditures that could be saved is relevant. The story indicated that there was no cancer risk reduction associated with the vitamin supplements studied. A quote in the story from the author of one of the studies indicated that too little or too much of particular vitamins was associated with increased cancer risk. In addition, the table in the story provided information about vitamins being associated with an increased risk of diabetes and a higher, though not significant increase in the incidence in the case of one cancer. The story did not convey any sense of the quality of the studies on which it was reporting. Were they retrospective observational studies (generally weak designs) or prospective randomized trials (the best type of study). A more insightful explanation about why the current group of studies which find no protective effect are more compelling that the previous studies that found a protective effect of vitamins would have also been useful.. This story did not engage in disease mongering. The story included quotes from one of the study authors, as well as a spokesperson from the American Cancer Society and an expert without connection to the study but who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. The story mentions specific lifestyle interventions which have been shown to be associated with reduction in cancer risk. It inaccurately mentioned screening for colon, cervical, and breast cancer as means of reducing their risk. It should have stated that these screening tests are associated with reduced risk of dying of these cancers, not as means of reducing the chance of developing them. It's clear that vitamins and mineral supplements are in widespread use. The story correctly indicated that the results of the current study are consistent with the results from several recent studies which demonstrated that vitamin supplementation failed to decrease the chance of developing cancer. The sidebar table, which summarized results and included the journal name and month of publication, provided a resource for interested readers to find more information. Does not appear to rely on a press release.

SOLUTION: Vitamins get 'F' in cancer prevention

PROBLEM: "The story only said once that ""the costs are high"" referring to screening and the risks of false positives and invasive procedures associated with them. We look for a bit more detail than that. But because it was the only story we reviewed that even mentioned costs, and becasue it reported that even this study indicates that over a thousand women would need to be screened for a decade to make a difference for one, we give it a satisfactory score. This story reports not only the percentage difference in breast cancer deaths between the regions where women were routinely screened and where they weren't, it also gives readers the total number of deaths and it highlights the finding that about 1250 women would need to be screened for a decade to prevent one breast cancer death. The story also pointed out that the study did not report true breast cancer mortality rates meaning how many women diagnosed with breast cancer died of it. The story notes that screening can lead to false alarms and other adverse outcomes. Although it does not go into detail on the adverse outcomes, it includes comments from independent experts that the study failed to include the harms of screenings as well as the benefits. The story provides an overview of the key features of this study and includes critiques from independent experts. Indeed, the story highlights concerns about the study design near the top of the story. (It could have done much more on this issue. For example, see our blog post on this matter.) This story highlights both the total number of deaths reported by the researchers and the number of women who would need to be screened in order to prevent one death, thus putting the risk in perspective. This story includes critiques of the study design and conclusions, although it does not identify or quote the independent experts, except for one neutral summary quote. (Why are these other critics named?) Although potential conflicts of interest are not reported, the researchers did not disclose any conflicts in their journal article. We'll give it a barely satisfactory score, although the unnamed critics issues bothers us. The story does not go into detail about alternatives, but it does highlight a guideline report from the United States Preventive Services Task Force that questions the value of screening mammography for women in their 40s, thereby implying that not being screened is an option. There was no explicit discussion of mammography, but we can't criticize the story for that. Nonetheless, we can only give a score of Not Applicable on this criterion. The story does a good job of putting this study in context with other reports. The story does not rely on a news release."

SOLUTION:
Swedish mammography study sows more confusion about screening for breast cancer