The results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

This is the most concerning line in the article IMO, and this action of releasing to the media prior to peer review is unfortunate.

I can understand being excited by a potentially barrier-breaking result, but such things should be treated more cautiously than a less profound result.

Why does science writing in news papers have to suck so often?

Because too often it isn't a scientist or someone with significant science training doing the writing. With the downfall of hardcopy news media (and the decrease in interest in science in general amongst the public) many news organizations have closed their science sections and giving what little science writing they do to other reporters.