On March 10 and 11, the (U.S. Preventive Services) Task Force will meet in person for the first time in eight months to once again take up prostate cancer and several other topics that were unable to be addressed due to its previous meeting’s cancellation. I no longer work for AHRQ and have had no involvement in planning this meeting. It is my sincere hope, however, that neither the USPSTF nor the federal government will be cowed by the prospect of triggering another political firestorm into soft-pedaling the scientific evidence that PSA testing does more harm than good.
If you need the back story, he provides that as well, either in the body text of his blog or in links.
Opinions on other issues in news, journals, PR, advertising, marketing
Puleeeeease... this 'game changer' weight loss drug causes more nausea and vomiting than a placebo. Some game, some change. My friend Gary would spank you for using the eighth word medical reporters should never, ever use. @garyschwitzer @thackerpd
https://www.healthnewsreview.org/toolkit/just-journalists-writing-tips-case-studies/7-words-and-more-you-shouldnt-use-in-medical-news/ https://twitter.com/OttawaCitizen/status/1361426796126830597
A scary @statnews Op-Ed warns that govt attempts to rein in Pharma may cut off access to "life-changing" drugs.
It takes @garyschwitzer to let us know: the author spent 10 years as Pfizer's public-policy chief. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1360325022578053123
.@TranspariMED criticizes STAT op-ed for not disclosing pharma funding of author’s institute - similar to criticism we’ve made of STAT op-eds in the past. @transparify @ThinkTankWatch @icer_review https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2021/02/transparency-watchdog-criticizes-stats-non-disclosure-on-pro-pharma-op-ed/
Comments
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Charles Hodges MD
March 7, 2011 at 9:24 amI am really concerned about having the feds decide anything about medicine that keeps us for looking for treatable disease. PSA as a screening tool is not perfect, but it has saved the lives of several younger men that I have tested over the years. My experience would be considered anecdotal, but for the 40 year old fellow with an elevated Psa who turned out to have Prostate cancer and is alive today, it is 100%. I did the test because of his symptoms and his family history.
Gary Schwitzer
March 7, 2011 at 11:22 amOf course it could be argued that the example you cite is not – technically – a screening example.
Someone with symptoms and with a family history is in a higher risk category.
Screening – by definition – is looking for problems in otherwise seemingly healthy people with no signs of problems.
The semantics are important.
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