Science journalist Simon Singh won Health Campaigner of the Year, and Sense About Science took Health Charity of the Year, in the MJA 2010 Awards.

Sense About Science and Singh have been campaigning to reform England’s libel laws to protect medical and scientific discussions since Singh was sued by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) for his criticism in the Guardian of its claim that chiropractic was effective against childhood ailments like asthma or ear infections. (The BCA recently withdrew the suit.) The MJA has signed up in support of Sense About Science’s campaign.

In accepting the Award Tracey Brown of Sense About Science said, ‘Medical and science reporters must be free to ask awkward questions without ending up in court. That is why we welcome the libel reform bill soon to go before Parliament and will continue campaigning to make sure it offers real change in English libel law.’

The GP and television media doc, Pixie Mckenna, of the TV programme Embarrassing Bodies, presented the awards at a ceremony at the Royal Society of Medicine in London on July 15. 

A surprise Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to GP Ann McPherson (shortlisted for the Health Champion of the Year and also one of those who behind the shortlisted website healthtalkonline.com), for her ‘unique and extraordinary contribution to medical story-telling in both fact and fiction’. Dr McPherson is author of the popular novel, Diary of a Teenage Health Freak and was prompted to set up the health website that documents patients’ experiences of a wide range of medical conditions by her personal experience of having breast cancer.

Other awards were presented to:

  • Sam Lister: The Times: Health Journalist of the Year Award
  • Adam Brimelow: BBC News: Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award
  • Zosia Kmietovicz: BMJ, Medical Journalist of the Year Award
  • Susan Mayor: Freelance Journalist of the Year
  • Fiona Godlee: BMJ: Health Editor of the Year
  • Sarah Brealey: Eastern Daily Press: Regional Print Journalist of the Year
  • Eleanor Bradford: BBC Scotland, Regional Broadcast Journalist of the Year
  • Pulse: Health Publication of the Year
  • Health Service Journal – www.hsj.co.uk:  Health Website of the Year (a new award this year).

Individual winners received £500, while the winners of the Medical Publication, Medical Charity, Health Champion and Website Awards received trophies.

The following entrants were commended in the MJA Awards and received an inscribed certificate:

  • Health Campaigner: Pip Hardy/Tony Sumner  (Patient voices), Dr Ann McPherson, Katie Piper, Sir Gerry Robinson
  • Health Charity: Cancer Research UK, Carers UK, King’s Fund, Men’s Health Forum
  • Health Publication: GP newspaper, Health Service Journal, Independent Nurse, Mental Health Today
  • Health Website: FRANK - www.talktofrank.com , Healthcare Republic - www.healthcarerepublic.com, Health Talk Online - www.healthtalkonline, NHS Choices – www.nhs.uk
  • Health Journalist (national): Jenny Hope, The Daily Mail, Jane Kirby, Press Association, Daniel Martin, The Daily Mail, Rebecca Smith, The Daily Telegraph
  • Medical Journalist: Andy Coghlan, New Scientist, Sally Gainsbury, Health Service Journal, Tom Ireland, GP/Independent Nurse, Prisca Middlemiss, GP/Independent Nurse
  • Broadcast Journalist: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News; Jane Hughes, BBC, Vivienne Parry, BBC, Fergus Walsh, BBC
  • Freelance Journalist: Ben Goldacre, Nigel Hawkes, Fred Pearce, Mark Porter
  • Health Editor: Adrienne de Mont, Chemist & Druggist, Lynn Eaton, Mental Health Today, Justine Hancock, The Daily Mail – Good Health, Adam Legge, Pulse
  • Regional Print Journalist: Madeline Brindley, Media Wales, Marion Scott, Sunday Mail, Liza Williams, Liverpool Echo and Daily Post
  • Regional Broadcast Journalist: Mariclare Carey-Jones, News ITV Wales, Matthew Hill, BBC West; Laura Yates, BBC North West Tonight

 

The Medical Journalists’ Association was launched in 1967. It now has some 420 members including those who edit or contribute to national, provincial and specialist publications, radio, television and online. Membership is open to journalists who work full or part time on health or medical science subjects, as well as to academics or clinicians who write or broadcast in their spare time, and health charity communications staff.

 
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