Gesundheit und Skandal

While political scandals are well researched, little is known about the coverage of scandals in the health sector. However, such grievances often touch on ethically sensitive questions and profound fears. They threaten the most important of human attributes: their physical integrity. Therefore, the impact of scandalous media reports can be devastating. This was particularly evident in the so-called ‘organ donation scandal’. During this scandal the attitude of the population towards organ donation became more negative and the numbers of donations declined significantly. Because the population lack personal experience in this field, the media play a central role in conveying information about it. This book examines the mechanisms and characteristics of a health scandal against the backdrop of irregularities in German hospitals in 2012. It also analyses the simultaneous change in public perception.