Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 03:00:00 PM EST
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Congressman Frank Pallone announced yesterday that his Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold hearings over new guidelines released by the he U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that say breast cancer screenings, previously recommended for women in their 40's, should not be done annually until they reach 50:"Breast cancer is a preventable and treatable disease if it is detected early but we don't want to cause other health problems in the process," said Pallone. "Providers and patients need to understand the risks of both screening and not screening so that they can make a balanced decision."
"We should try to minimize the confusion people have about what is best for their health," Pallone said. "And we should be cognizant that these studies also have an impact on what insurance will cover. This hearing will increase everyone's understanding of the issue." The new report and guidelines say that having this procedure done on an annual basis might cause more harm than do good for women under the age of 50. It says that exposure to radiation, false alarms and unnecessary biopsies are among the downsides, according to the study.
But the study was met with a great deal of disagreement from groups and organizations including: the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Society for Breast Diseases, have released statements defending the use of mammograms in the 40-49 age group. They argue that cases of breast cancer could go undetected with the less frequent testing. The Congressman said that the hearing will be held early next month.
In the political context, the new guidelines come in the middle of the debate over healthcare and have only added to the talking points of those who argue the government will ration care. As Congressman Pallone pointed out, insurance companies will make decisions on coverage based on these recommendations, so it's good to examine the situation further because it's a pretty significant change. In the mean time, Senator Menendez has called on the Surgeon General to increase efforts to educate women about the new mammogram guidelines to help avoid confusion. |
| Jason Springer :: Pallone to hold hearing on new mammogram recommendations |
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