This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Two episodes of the TV science program Catalyst will be removed from the ABC’s website after an internal review found the program had breached editorial standards on impartiality.



The controversial Catalyst program on statins and heart disease, The Heart of the Matter, was attacked by health experts even before it aired last year.

The presenter of ABC radio’s Health Report, Norman Swan, warned “people will die” as a result of the TV program’s messages about heart medications.

Swan, whose criticism of the program has been vindicated by the independent Audience and Consumer Affairs Unit report, had said the program made him "really angry" because it might affect Indigenous Australians, who are especially likely to suffer from high cholesterol.

"If you were an Aboriginal person watching that program you would think: I don’t need to be on cholesterol-lowering medication, I don’t need to worry about it," he said in November.

ABC managing director Mark Scott said on Monday that while the programs were engaging and attracted large audiences, all the ABC’s programs should take “absolute care to comply with our rigorous editorial policies”.

The independent report found that a “principal relevant perspective” about the effectiveness of statins was not presented in the second episode, but cleared the first episode of any breaches.

“However, particularly in the first episode, we believe a genuine attempt to produce content in accordance with the Code was undermined by the tone and structure of the program,” the report said.

Because of the interlocked nature of the two programs, both would be removed from the ABC website, Scott said.

“While acknowledging the importance of public health issues relating to the efficacy of heart disease treatment and the contrasting opinions of highly-qualified scientists, the A&CA has concluded that the second episode breaches ABC standards on impartiality,” the report said.

“The program highlights the risks of reporting unorthodox and controversial perspectives, particularly where there is a tendency to assume that the mainstream view is well known and well understood and does not require the same level of explanation as the unorthodox position.

“This is a matter that should be a focus of attention while programs are in production to enhance their quality.”

The special was produced and presented by Catalyst staff reporter Maryanne Demasi, who has a PhD in medical research.

The National Heart Foundation complained that Demasi’s statement on the ABC radio program PM that the foundation had “signed off” on the program’s evidence was untrue and deeply offensive.

Demasi told PM presenter Peter Lloyd: “The National Heart Foundation agreed that there would be people that are not at high risk of heart disease being medicated for these drugs and they would question whether or not these patients should be on those drugs.”

The report said: “While the comment was made in a live radio interview, it was nonetheless a misleading oversimplification which failed to acknowledge the clear and important areas of disagreement between the National Heart Foundation and the overall proposition being presented in the programs.”

A correction has been placed on the ABC’s website.