Why do we link to stories about Scientology (or child abuse, or ...)?

At Health News Florida, aside from our own coverage of health issues, each day we link to at least half a dozen articles that we think have merit. They have to have something to do with health, but we define that broadly -- some say too broadly.

We've received a couple of complaints -- one from a hospital administrator, one from an insurance executive -- about the stories we've linked to that don't involve what they think of as health care. I think they mean the exchange of medical goods or services for money or insurance claims.
 
They probably didn't like our links to stories about child abuse, pollution, and the serial cat killer. And they may not like the links to this week's St. Petersburg Times' amazing series on the Church of Scientology. Based on interviews with four former high-ranking members, the series sheds light on an organization that goes to great lengths to control the behavior of its members and attack its opponents. To us, the link to health is strong and obvious: One of the fundamental tenets of Scientology is opposition to conventional mental-health treatment, especially psychiatry and psychiatric drugs. 

Yes, we cover science, medicine and the health-care industry.  But our mission is to inform all Floridians about state public policy on health issues and on anything that  could affect their own health or the cost of preserving it.

"Who's your audience?" someone recently asked, implying that the publication has to have a niche. "Everyone in Florida," we say. We mean it.

--Contact Carol Gentry at 727-410-3266 or at this e-mail.