NewsRx

Last updated
NewsRx
NewsRx logo.jpg
Parent company NewsRx, LLC
Founded1984
Founder CW Henderson
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location Atlanta, Georgia
DistributionGlobal
Imprints BUTTER, NewsRx, VerticalNews
Official website www.newsrx.com

NewsRx is a media and technology company focusing on digital media, printed media, news services, and knowledge discovery through its BUTTER platform. In 1995, the company was the world's largest producer of health news. [1] The company publishes 194 news weeklies in health and other fields, which are distributed to subscribers and partners including LexisNexis, Factiva, the Wall Street Journal Professional Edition, Thomson Reuters, ProQuest, and Cengage Learning. [2] [3] C. W. Henderson founded the company in 1984 along with its first publication, AIDS Weekly. [4] In the early 2000s, the firm added the imprint, VerticalNews, to publish news weeklies in non-health fields. [5] Now based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company reports through its daily news service and publishes reference books through its partner, ScholarlyEditions. [2] [6] In 2015, NewsRx launched the BUTTER platform, a knowledge discovery engine that delivers its content to academics, researchers, and professionals. [3]

Contents

History

The idea for the first newsletter originated at an international conference on AIDS sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). A staff member commented to CW Henderson on the need for a publication to condense the rapid rise in information about the disease. [4] In 1984, Henderson created CW Henderson Publisher, [4] which became NewsRx in 2004. [7]

That same year, the company distributed its first journal, CDC AIDS Weekly, (which split into AIDS Weekly and Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA) to an international audience. [8] [9] The first subscriber was the Soviet Union. [4] Other subscribers include physicians, educators, government agencies, and pharmaceutical companies. [4] [10]

The articles in AIDS Weekly discussed social issues of the disease to medical research. [2] The newsweekly included “shorts” to explain as much as was known about unfolding information and events. [2]

Before the World Wide Web, NewsRx coordinated with the National AIDS Information Clearinghouse to provide information on the disease. [11] The CDC AIDS Weekly Infoline provided a list of upcoming AIDS seminars as well as names and addresses of over 65 AIDS periodicals published worldwide. [11]

The information published in AIDS Weekly came primarily from the government organization Centers for Disease Control (CDC). [2] Though the newsweekly had no direct ties to the CDC other than as a source for information, a CDC official described the publication as “highly informative.” [9] Other sources of information for this and other titles were the nearby Emory University medical library and international agencies. [2] Articles included summaries of peer-reviewed research, conference reports, news releases, and compilations from other health and medical organizations. [12]

However, in the beginning, some critics were offended by the fact that NewsRx was a non-governmental agency distributing statistics that were available for free in official versions from the government. [13] (see Controversy)

In 1988, the firm added Cancer Weekly [5] [14] and it added Blood Weekly in 1993. [5] The company added Vaccine Weekly in 1995, followed by over 100 more medical-related titles. [1] [2]

In 1999, the firm also adopted Artificial Intelligence Journalist (AIJ) which uses robotics, machine learning, algorithms, logic, and automated reasoning to provide computer-assisted reporting and data driven journalism. [9] The software shortens the time from news event to news distribution. [9]

In 2007, the firm introduced VerticalNews. [5]

The firm also adopted site licenses, including the ability for users to download reports showing the types of information used in a given organization—information previously restricted to the NewsRx staff. [9] The system recognizes IP addresses to facilitate research activities. [2] [4] [9] [10]

In 2010, the firm's VerticalNews China was the subject of a denial of service attack that originated from China as a result of controversial news reported. [15] The attack was halted when the company's IP service identified the source and blocked it. [16]

On April 22, 2015, NewsRx announced hiring new VP and Publisher Kalani Rosell. [17] The business development office opened in 2016 in New Haven, Connecticut, headed by Rosell. [3]

BUTTER

In 2015, NewsRx started BUTTER, which stands for Better Understanding Through Technology & Emerging Research, a business intelligence and data analytics platform with emerging research and new discoveries. [17] It has content for researchers, academics, and investors, using a New Discovery Index (NDI) that analyzes discoveries worldwide by quarter and new discoveries within specific topic areas. [18]

BUTTER uses a search engine and publishes 10,000 new articles a day (11.4 million articles as of March, 2016). [17]

BUTTER's platform creates content 30 minutes after stock markets close, monitoring all market movements, new SEC and patent filings, trademarks, and financial and investment decisions. [3]

Controversies

NewsRx is staffed by journalists rather than medical professionals. [4] [19] At the company's beginnings, Newsweek magazine commented that AIDS Weekly, as a non-government entity, should not be reporting on topics that included policy, research, and statistics that some[ who? ] considered exclusive to the government. [2] The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) AIDS task force at the time was misquoted as stating that he disagreed with having the CDC name associated with the newsweekly. [13] On the contrary, every issue of the CDC AIDS Weekly included an advisory caption, “…not sponsored by, endorsed by, affiliated with, or officially connected with the CDC.” [13] Other staffers within the CDC supported NewsRx's view to bring AIDS awareness to the public eye. [13] The Boston Globe reported that AIDS Weekly was a necessary “watchdog” publication providing needed information to the public. [2] Other articles appeared supporting NewsRx in the Wall Street Journal , The New York Times , and USA Today , for what they said to be its impact in AIDS awareness and investigative journalism. [2] [ page needed ]

CW Henderson's role as executive editor at the firm was discussed in an article in Editor and Publisher, focusing on the influence of pharmaceutical companies on news publications. [20] Henderson opposed pharmaceutical company influence on reporters as well as premature reporting of experiments. [20]

The firm was also involved with The New York Times in controversial breaking news about AIDS studies that had purposely been tampered with at the CDC. [21] On at least 5 occasions, research on the causes of AIDS and other viral diseases might have been tampered with. [21] CDC AIDS Weekly published an internal CDC memorandum on the incident. [21]

Partnerships

In 2011, the firm partnered with ScholarlyMedia's ScholarlyEditions imprint, publishing 4,000 reference books, which replaced the EncyK line. [6] The president of NewsRx is also president of ScholarlyMedia. [22] The company's book imprint is ScholarlyEditions, and its peer reviewed news service is ScholarlyNews. [22]

The company's partners include: [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</span> United States government public health agency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emory University</span> Private university in Atlanta, Georgia, US

Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campus is in the Druid Hills neighborhood, three miles from downtown Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HIV/AIDS in the United States</span> HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States

The AIDS epidemic, caused by HIV, found its way to the United States between the 1970s and 1980s, but was first noticed after doctors discovered clusters of Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia in homosexual men in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco in 1981. Treatment of HIV/AIDS is primarily via the use of multiple antiretroviral drugs, and education programs to help people avoid infection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS</span> United Nations organization

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ProQuest</span> Distributor of eBooks and digital media

ProQuest LLC is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based global information-content and technology company, founded in 1938 as University Microfilms by Eugene Power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropical medicine</span> Interdisciplinary branch of medicine

Tropical medicine is an interdisciplinary branch of medicine that deals with health issues that occur uniquely, are more widespread, or are more difficult to control in tropical and subtropical regions.

<i>Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</i> Weekly epidemiological report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) is a weekly epidemiological digest for the United States published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It was originally established as Weekly Health Index in 1930, changing its title to Weekly Mortality Index in 1941 and Morbidity and Mortality in 1952. It acquired its current name in 1976. It is the main vehicle for publishing public health information and recommendations that have been received by the CDC from state health departments. Material published in the report is in the public domain and may be reprinted without permission. As of 2019, the journal's editor-in-chief is Charlotte Kent.

This is a timeline of HIV/AIDS, including but not limited to cases before 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saquinavir</span> Chemical compound

Saquinavir, sold under the brand name Invirase among others, is an antiretroviral medication used together with other medications to treat or prevent HIV/AIDS. Typically it is used with ritonavir or lopinavir/ritonavir to increase its effect. It is taken by mouth.

Public health informatics has been defined as the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research, and learning. It is one of the subdomains of health informatics, data management applied to medical systems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), formed in 1946, is the leading national public health institute of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Its main goal is to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and internationally.

<i>New York Native</i> Defunct gay newspaper published in New York City

The New York Native was a biweekly gay newspaper published by Charles Ortleb in New York City from December 1980 until January 13, 1997. It was the only gay paper in New York City during the early part of the AIDS epidemic, and pioneered reporting on AIDS when most others ignored it. The paper subsequently became known for attacking the scientific understanding of HIV as the cause of AIDS and endorsing HIV/AIDS denialism.

Nanjing Medical University is a provincial public university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is affiliated with the Province of Jiangsu. The university is part of the Double First-Class Construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selma Dritz</span> American physician and epidemiologist

Selma Kaderman Dritz was an American physician and epidemiologist who worked in San Francisco, California, where she began tracking the first known cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the early 1980s.

RUSUN, Jl. Apron No.3A/303, RT.3/RW.10, Kb. Kosong, Kec. Kemayoran, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10630

ScholarlyEditions is a publishing imprint of ScholarlyMedia, LLC. The imprint publishes full-length eBooks in ePUB and PDF formats containing material from the over four million article summaries in the ScholarlyNews database of its partner, NewsRx, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artificial butter flavoring</span> Culinary liquid mimicking flavor of butter

Artificial butter flavoring is a flavoring used to give a food the taste and smell of butter. It may contain diacetyl, acetylpropionyl, or acetoin, three natural compounds in butter that contribute to its characteristic taste and smell. Manufacturers of margarines or similar oil-based products typically add it to make the final product butter-flavored, because it would otherwise be relatively tasteless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Ford</span> American drug technician, identifier of first known AIDS cluster

Sandy Ford was a drug technician for the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. In April 1981, she identified unusual clusters of young homosexual patients in New York and California with pneumocystis pneumonia and Kaposi's sarcoma and alerted her supervisor about it. Those patients had HIV/AIDS; pneumocystis pneumonia and Kaposi's sarcoma were later found to be AIDS-defining diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James W. Curran</span> Professor of epidemiology and pioneering HIV/AIDS researcher

James W. Curran is professor of epidemiology and dean of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He is an adjunct Professor of Medicine and Nursing, and Co-Director and Principal Investigator of the Emory Center for AIDS Research. He is immediate past chair of the board on Population Health and Public Health Practice of the Institute of Medicine and served on the Executive Committee of the Association of Schools of Public Health. Additionally, he holds an endowed chair known as the James W. Curran Dean of Public Health. Curran is considered to be a pioneer, leader, and expert in the field of HIV/AIDS.

<i>Weekly Epidemiological Record</i> Academic journal

The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) is a publication of the World Health Organization (WHO) that as of 2020 is in its 95th volume. It is published in English and French with the alternative title of the Relevé épidémiologique hebdomadaire. It aims to rapidly disseminate epidemiological information about outbreaks of diseases under the International Health Regulations and about communicable diseases of public health importance. This includes emerging or re-emerging diseases.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Bellury, Phillip. Enlightening The World. Atlanta, GA: The Storyline Group, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "SIPA Member Profile". siia.net.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Taylor, Ron. "Private Enterprise Jumps into AIDS Marketplace." Atlanta Constitution. February 4, 1986
  5. 1 2 3 4 "NewsRx's VerticalNews Division Launches 86 Titles in Tech, Science and General Interest." Newsletter on Newsletters September 10, 2008 http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NewsRx's+VerticalNews+division+launches+86+titles+in+tech,+science...-a0186874438
  6. 1 2 Hasty, Susan. "Take Control of the News." ScholarlyNews and ScholarlyEditions. ScholarlyMedia, 2011 http://www.scholarlyeditions.com/assets/pdf/scholarlyeditions-brochure.pdf
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2011-08-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. Zimmerman, David, Lou Ziegler, and Patrick O'Driscoll. "6 Who Made a Difference." USA Today December 11, 1985
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Goss, Fred. "Charles Henderson Quietly Built one of the Largest and Most Successful Operations in Newsletter History, Title by Title, Week by Week." Newsletter on Newsletters May 23, 2005
  10. 1 2 Allison, David. "Atlanta's a Center for Health-care Newsletters." Atlanta Business Chronicle. April 21, 1995
  11. 1 2 Moore, Lisa. "AIDS Bulletin." U.S. News & World Report. June 6, 1988: 83
  12. "NewsRx Weekly Reports." Dialog, November 10, 2003. Web. 24 Aug 2011. http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0135.html
  13. 1 2 3 4 Laermer, Richard. "A Source of News on AIDS." Editor and Publisher September 5, 1987
  14. Ricklefs, Roger. "Medical Newsletters on AIDS Therapies Crop Up Across U.S." The Wall Street Journal. October 4, 1988
  15. "More Victims Of Chinese Hacking Attacks Come Forward". Dark Reading. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  16. "NewsRx; China News from U.S. Hit by Denial of Service Cyber Attack Originating from China." Wall Street Journal Professional Edition with Factiva. January 25, 2010
  17. 1 2 3 "NewsRx™ Expands Team for BUTTER™ Launch - Kalani Rosell New V.P. Business Development". www.prnewswire.com.
  18. "NewsRx". www.butterbusiness.com.
  19. Fernandes, Manuela. "Reading All About It: Newsletters growing in number, but not all information is reliable." Atlanta Journal. August 16, 1995
  20. 1 2 Nicholson, Joe. "Of Mice & Men: Is there too much hype in media's medical stories?." Editor and Publisher. October 3, 1998
  21. 1 2 3 Schneider, Keith (1986-09-17). "TAMPERING UNCOVERED AT AIDS RESEARCH LAB". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  22. 1 2 "ScholarlyEditions." ScholarlyEditions. ScholarlyMedia, 2011. http://www.scholarlyeditions.com/
  23. 1 2 "NewsRx.com: eHealth Evolution; global partnerships for health, biotech news offerings announced." Business Wire. October 19, 2000
  24. "Reuters Agrees to Thomson Buyout." BBC News May 15, 2007
  25. "NewsRx's 26 Newsletters Now on Dialog Platform." Newsletter on Newsletters 2002