End of Life CareNCT07416669
Death, Dying, Violence and Aggression as Shown on Medical Television Series.
An observational study of End of Life Care and Violent Aggressive Behavior, run by King's College Hospital NHS Trust at 2 sites in 2 countries.
Trial summary
Medical TV dramas have become very popular in recent years. These shows are mainly created for entertainment and often do not reflect what really happens in hospitals. However, television plays an important role in sharing information, shaping how people think, and teaching the public about medicine. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- End of Life Care, Violent Aggressive Behavior, Television Viewing
- How many people
- 500 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesin 2 countries
- Study dates
- 10 May 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: Fictional characters in the studied TV series
Who may be able to join
- Any are clearly visible and/or audible, intentional acts of violence occurring as self-contained scenes within an episode, set in a hospital environment, and taking place between two or more individuals in a medical or professional treatment setting.
- All patients dying within the hospital setting. The death scene must be explicitly shown or named (e.g., flatline, burial, covering of the body). The death must be visibly depicted on screen (the viewer must see the death happen).
Who cannot join
- Violence: Violence outside the hospital. Self-harming behaviour or acts of violence that originate from a purely private context and do not arise within a professional medical setting.
- Death: Death outside the hospital. Stories or mentions of death without visual depiction do not count. Implied or off-screen deaths without explicit confirmation or depiction are excluded. Implied or off-screen deaths without explicit confirmation or depiction are excluded.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 2 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
2 sites in 2 countries
Germany1 site
Medical tv series
Witten
Timur Sellmann, 0049 176 17992828, timursellmann@yahoo.com
United Kingdom1 site
Medical tv series
London, Select, SE1 3BG
Victoria Metaxa, 0044 7503117348, vickymetaxa@yahoo.com
About this study
Official title: End of Life, Violence and Aggression on TV.
Medical TV dramas have become very popular in recent years. These shows are mainly created for entertainment and often do not reflect what really happens in hospitals. However, television plays an important role in sharing information, shaping how people think, and teaching the public about medicine.
Death and dying in hospitals, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), are highly emotional experiences. In real life, these situations often turn out very differently from what patients and families expect. Because of this, it is important to understand how medical TV shows portray major hospital events such as end-of-life care, death, and the delivery of bad news. When what is shown on TV does not match the reality of ICU care, it can lead to unrealistic expectations, false hope, and greater distress for patients and their families at the end of life.
Read more
At the same time, violence and aggression towards healthcare providers have increased in recent years. This can include verbal abuse as well as physical attacks. Looking at how healthcare workers are treated in medical TV shows may help us understand whether these programmes influence what behaviour is seen as acceptable. Since violence against healthcare staff has become especially concerning since the COVID-19 pandemic, the possible role of media should not be ignored, even though many factors are involved.
This study aims to describe how death and dying are shown in popular medical TV series and to explore how violence or aggression towards healthcare providers is portrayed in these settings.
- Keywords
- violence, aggression, death, dying, medical tv shows
- Medical subject headings
- Aggression, Death
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Violence and aggression | People included are clearly visible and/or audible, intentional acts of violence occurring as self-contained scenes within an episode, set in a hospital environment, and taking place between two or more individuals in a medical or professional treatment setting. | |
| End of life | All patients dying within the hospital setting. The death scene must be explicitly shown or named (e.g., flatline, burial, covering of the body). The death must be visibly depicted on screen (the viewer must see the death happen). |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number and type of violent episodes depicted in medical tv series in the OR, the ICU and in the ER.
Violence/ aggression behaviours including: intentional physical, verbal, psychological/ emotional and/ or sexual
Measured: during hospital admission
Number and type of death/ dying as depicted in medical tv series in the OR, the ICU and in the ER.
End of life scenes depicting the death and dying process
Measured: during hospital admission
Secondary outcomes (2)
Type of environment that the behaviour is taking place
Describe the environment in which violent behaviour and/or death/ dying is taking place
Measured: During the hospital admission of observed patient or family member/ friend
Depicted emotions during death/dying
Describe the emotions that are demonstrated by family members/ friends dying death/ dying
Measured: During the hospital admission of observed patient or family member/ friend
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Feb 2026
- Study start10 May 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for End of Life CareStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by King's College Hospital NHS TrustThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- King's College Hospital NHS Trust
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Witten/Herdecke
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07416669
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- KCC02022026EOL
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 18 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: All IPD that underlie results in a publication
Publications
Kumar KA, Ceasar J, Olympia RP. Mortality as depicted in medical TV shows compared with reality. Am J Emerg Med. 2024 Jan;75:192-195. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.02.011. Epub 2023 Feb 12. No abstract available.
PubMed 36806425Chartrand L. Dying on television versus dying in intensive care units following withdrawal of life support: how normative frames may traumatise the bereaved. Sociol Health Illn. 2020 Jun;42(5):1155-1170. doi: 10.1111/1467-9566.13089. Epub 2020 Apr 18.
PubMed 32304256Colwill M, Somerville C, Lindberg E, Williams C, Bryan J, Welman T. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on television: are we miseducating the public? Postgrad Med J. 2018 Feb;94(1108):71-75. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2017-135122. Epub 2017 Oct 9.
PubMed 28993522
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- End of Life, Violence and Aggression on TV.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07416669
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- KCC02022026EOL
- Keywords
- violence, aggression, death, dying, medical tv shows
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- King's College Hospital NHS TrustUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Witten/Herdecke
- Study start
- 10 May 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- May 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Medical TV dramas have become very popular in recent years. These shows are mainly created for entertainment and often do not reflect what really happens in hospitals. However, television plays an important role in sharing information, shaping how people think, and teaching the public about medicine.
Death and dying in hospitals, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), are highly emotional experiences. In real life, these situations often turn out very differently from what patients and families expect. Because of this, it is important to understand how medical TV shows portray major hospital events such as end-of-life care, death, and the delivery of bad news. When what is shown on TV does not match the reality of ICU care, it can lead to unrealistic expectations, false hope, and greater distress for patients and their families at the end of life.
At the same time, violence and aggression towards healthcare providers have increased in recent years. This can include verbal abuse as well as physical attacks. Looking at how healthcare workers are treated in medical TV shows may help us understand whether these programmes influence what behaviour is seen as acceptable. Since violence against healthcare staff has become especially concerning since the COVID-19 pandemic, the possible role of media should not be ignored, even though many factors are involved.
This study aims to describe how death and dying are shown in popular medical TV series and to explore how violence or aggression towards healthcare providers is portrayed in these settings.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Violence and aggression | – | –People included are clearly visible and/or audible, intentional acts of violence occurring as self-contained scenes within an episode, set in a hospital environment, and taking place between two or more individuals in a medical or professional treatment setting. |
| End of life | – | –All patients dying within the hospital setting. The death scene must be explicitly shown or named (e.g., flatline, burial, covering of the body). The death must be visibly depicted on screen (the viewer must see the death happen). |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Fictional characters in the studied TV series
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Any are clearly visible and/or audible, intentional acts of violence occurring as self-contained scenes within an episode, set in a hospital environment, and taking place between two or more individuals in a medical or professional treatment setting.
- All patients dying within the hospital setting. The death scene must be explicitly shown or named (e.g., flatline, burial, covering of the body). The death must be visibly depicted on screen (the viewer must see the death happen).
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Violence: Violence outside the hospital. Self-harming behaviour or acts of violence that originate from a purely private context and do not arise within a professional medical setting.
- Death: Death outside the hospital. Stories or mentions of death without visual depiction do not count. Implied or off-screen deaths without explicit confirmation or depiction are excluded. Implied or off-screen deaths without explicit confirmation or depiction are excluded.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Number and type of violent episodes depicted in medical tv series in the OR, the ICU and in the ER.
Time frame: during hospital admission
Violence/ aggression behaviours including: intentional physical, verbal, psychological/ emotional and/ or sexual
Number and type of death/ dying as depicted in medical tv series in the OR, the ICU and in the ER.
Time frame: during hospital admission
End of life scenes depicting the death and dying process
2 secondary outcomes
Type of environment that the behaviour is taking place
Time frame: During the hospital admission of observed patient or family member/ friend
Depicted emotions during death/dying
Time frame: During the hospital admission of observed patient or family member/ friend
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Feb 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 36806425Kumar KA, Ceasar J, Olympia RP. Mortality as depicted in medical TV shows compared with reality. Am J Emerg Med. 2024 Jan;75:192-195. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.02.011. Epub 2023 Feb 12. No abstract available.
- Results publication: PubMed 32304256Chartrand L. Dying on television versus dying in intensive care units following withdrawal of life support: how normative frames may traumatise the bereaved. Sociol Health Illn. 2020 Jun;42(5):1155-1170. doi: 10.1111/1467-9566.13089. Epub 2020 Apr 18.
- Results publication: PubMed 28993522Colwill M, Somerville C, Lindberg E, Williams C, Bryan J, Welman T. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on television: are we miseducating the public? Postgrad Med J. 2018 Feb;94(1108):71-75. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2017-135122. Epub 2017 Oct 9.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. All IPD that underlie results in a publication
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 2 countries: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of End of Life Care and Violent Aggressive Behavior, run by King's College Hospital NHS Trust at 2 sites in 2 countries.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Germany, United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Victoria Metaxa, Consultant (+447503117348, victoria.metaxa@nhs.net), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number and type of violent episodes depicted in medical tv series in the OR, the ICU and in the ER. (time frame: during hospital admission). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07416669, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Feb 2026.