The University Hospital Reina Sofía in Córdoba and the Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP) launch a new season of ‘Is it true that…?‘ alongside the professional medical and pharmaceutical associations, the Andalusian Society of Medical Oncology (SAOM), the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and the Chair ‘How can I help you – Humanizing cancer’. This health education initiative, whose objective is to promote accurate information and combat health myths, is offered in podcast format and aims to stop misinformation through rigorous and accessible content. Specifically, this edition focuses on the relationship between diet and cancer.
For the first time, the campaign also includes the video podcast format, made possible by the collaboration of the Chair ‘How can I help you – Humanizing cancer’, which has driven this proposal from its communication team and actively participates in the content production.
The expert voices of Medical Oncology professionals from the Reina Sofía Hospital address the main doubts that reach the center’s consultations and the AECC’s care services regarding the consumption of certain foods, vitamin supplements, and supposedly preventive diets, among other topics. The thematic development of this edition has been coordinated by Dr. Enrique Aranda, Head of the Medical Oncology Service at the Reina Sofía Hospital and Director of the Chair, who, along with the AECC, has defined the key topics to be addressed and has selected and coordinated the team of specialists participating in the different episodes.
Under the slogan ‘Feed the truth, break the myth’, the campaign aims to combat widely spread misconceptions about the relationship between diet and oncological risk, as stated by the hospital’s manager, Francisco Triviño, during the presentation.
Representatives of all the entities involved have been present at the event, including Dr. Enrique Aranda himself, professor, Head of Medical Oncology, and Director of the Chair ‘How can I help you – Humanizing cancer’, the president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and representatives of the Andalusian School of Public Health, among others.
#IsItTrueThat
The podcast format, whose consumption continues to rise, allows information to be accessible and brings scientific evidence closer to the public through clear responses to common questions that still have uncertainties. Some of the false beliefs addressed in this project respond to questions such as does consuming sugar or saccharin cause cancer?, do genetically modified foods always cause cancer?, are there foolproof anti-cancer diets?, does taking vitamins prevent cancer?, among others.
The selection of these themes aims to offer content of maximum interest to patients, families, and the general public. The information is presented in a clear and approachable language and with an attractive sound and visual design that enhances understanding and emotional connection with people living with cancer.
The content, endorsed by the Andalusian Society of Medical Oncology, will be published throughout the year, on a bi-weekly basis, to complete a total of eight informative capsules in audio and video format. They can be followed on platforms such as Spotify, Ivoox, YouTube, and on the official channels of the Reina Sofía Hospital, the EASP, and the collaborating entities. They will also be disseminated on social networks under the hashtags #IsItTrueThat, #CancerWithoutMyths, and #MythsOnTheTable. The campaign can be viewed here:
This campaign would not be possible without the involvement of all the stakeholders. Therefore, the Reina Sofía Hospital thanks the collaboration of the professional associations of Pharmacists and Physicians for their commitment to accurate information and scientific dissemination, a collaboration that is key to the viability of this initiative. Likewise, the hospital’s manager emphasized the importance of the involvement of the SAOM: «The Andalusian Society of Medical Oncology endorses the scientific and rigorous nature of this campaign, especially in a digital context where it is difficult to distinguish the veracity of the consumed content. Hence the importance of promoting joint actions that point us out as reliable sources to turn to in times of doubt».
The forecast is to match or exceed the impact of the two previous editions dedicated to false myths about mental health and nutrition, which already have over 12,000 views. In addition, the ‘Is it true that…?’ campaign has recently received the recognition of the Empiria Awards in the category of ‘Best scientific dissemination initiative’, a national award granted by Kómoda News and endorsed by the National Association of Health Informants (ANIS).
