From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a report on medical institutions paying for air time in local newscasts and editorial space in newspapers and their web sites — including the Post-Dispatch. Said one news director, regarding a cancer center's funding of news segments featuring its doctors: "I fail to see the conflict. Who's against curing cancer?"

Simon Singh became a martyr for free expression when the British Chiropractic Association sued him over a 2008 Guardian article. Now he's the main exhibit in support of a bill intended to reduce the threat from defamation actions. But do the reforms go far enough? Details in a blog post from the Association of British Science Writers. More here, here, and here.

Medical writer Larry Husten wanted a sneak peek at slides about a new drug-eluting stent but was told he would have to sit through an “embargoed pre-briefing” first. He complained in a blog post: “Access to the content shouldn’t depend on a willingness to submit to the spin cycle.” Related: Comment from Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog.

Nonfiction writers can use the techniques of fiction to propel their stories and engage readers, says Adam Hochschild, a former editor of Mother Jones and author of several histories. Hochschild spoke at Vanderbilt University in February. Parts one and two of four parts are now available at the Nieman Storyboard, as is the entire one-hour video.