Portrayals of Medical Research in Prime-Time Dramas: A Content Analysis.

Authors

• Nicholas J. Mulder, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Chelsea C. Lopez, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Cecilia C. Li, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Jenny K. Haely, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Olivia C. Manke, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Mariela C. Martinez, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical Student
• Michelle A. Padley, Corewell Health West
• Jeffrey S. Jones, Corewell Health West

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2026

Publication Title

Cureus

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Television (TV) dramas are a significant source of information about health and medical research for lay audiences, blending accurate depictions with dramatic distortions that can shape beliefs about how research is conducted and governed. This study systematically analyzed selected U.S. television dramas to characterize how medical research is portrayed, including the frequency, context, accuracy, and ethical framing of research-related storylines.

METHODS: A systematic content analysis was conducted of episodes from prime-time legal and medical dramas aired over the past 20 years. Episodes involving medical research were identified via streaming platforms and Internet Movie Database (IMDb), and then coded using a seven-domain framework (plot, themes, ethical dilemmas, impact on public perceptions, character portrayals, accuracy, and key developments) developed by an emergency medicine expert panel. One investigator re-reviewed a random 10% subsample to assess reliability (kappa), and results were summarized with descriptive statistics and frequency tables.

RESULTS: A total of 170 episodes were identified from 7 legal and 20 medical dramas.

CONCLUSION: In this sample of prime-time legal and medical dramas, medical research was portrayed predominantly in a negative, conflict-laden light, with recurring emphasis on ethical tension, shortcuts, and patient harm. These portrayals may foster mistrust, therapeutic misconception, and unrealistic expectations, highlighting the need for more accurate, ethically grounded depictions of medical research in popular culture.

Volume

18

Issue

7

First Page

e112794

Last Page

e112794

Recommended Citation

Mulder NJ, Lopez CC, Li CC, Haely JK, Manke OC, Martinez MC, et al. [Padley MA, Jones JS]. Portrayals of medical research in prime-time dramas: A content analysis. Cureus. 2026;18(7):e112794. doi: 10.7759/cureus.112794. PMID: 42604267.

DOI

10.7759/cureus.112794

ISSN

2168-8184

PubMed ID

42604267