In a feature in the BMJ this week, journalist Keith Epstein asks, “Is spending on proton beam therapy for cancer going too far, too fast?” Excerpts:
“…the spread of proton beam therapy for cancer has such momentum it now seems unstoppable. Millions of dollars have been invested in building the particle accelerators necessary to deliver it.
Globally, 39 facilities are in use. The US has 10 proton beam centres, and 19 more are being built. More than $370m (£230m; 277m) are being spent on a project to bring accelerators to centres in Minnesota and Arizona. And the UK’s health secretary Andrew Lansley announced in December that £150m would be put into delivering such treatment in the NHS.
Some people have recognised the rashness of the dash to introduce these machines, which have been described as the world’s “most costly and complicated medical devices.”
…
Harvard Medical School radiation oncologist Anthony Zietmen told the BMJ: “We rush into treatments before they are proved. Sometimes people are later found to have been harmed.” Zietman, who is involved in the Massachusetts General trial, added: “I don’t think we’re doing harm (with proton therapy), but we don’t know. In some instances, proton therapy might be inferior to existing treatments, and the quality of life might not be as good.
Robert Foote, a radiation oncologist at the Mayo Clinic who is overseeing a $370m project that will bring accelerators to new centres in Minnesota and Arizona within the next four years, is also worried that some centres are adopting the proton beam therapy before enough research has been done and, possibly, for the wrong indications.
He worries that some centres with big commercial investors will be keen to recoup their investment fast by putting through a large volume of patients, especially with prostate cancer, rather than using the technology for those most likely to benefit, such as children, a focus at the non-profit Mayo Clinic.
Foote says that two models of proton care have emerged in the US: “one to make money—the other to provide the best care possible for the people who need it.”
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
Please note, comments are no longer published through this website. All previously made comments are still archived and available for viewing through select posts.
Comments are closed.
Our Comments Policy
But before leaving a comment, please review these notes about our policy.
You are responsible for any comments you leave on this site.
This site is primarily a forum for discussion about the quality (or lack thereof) in journalism or other media messages (advertising, marketing, public relations, medical journals, etc.) It is not intended to be a forum for definitive discussions about medicine or science.
We will delete comments that include personal attacks, unfounded allegations, unverified claims, product pitches, profanity or any from anyone who does not list a full name and a functioning email address. We will also end any thread of repetitive comments. We don”t give medical advice so we won”t respond to questions asking for it.
We don”t have sufficient staffing to contact each commenter who left such a message. If you have a question about why your comment was edited or removed, you can email us at feedback@healthnewsreview.org.
There has been a recent burst of attention to troubles with many comments left on science and science news/communication websites. Read “Online science comments: trolls, trash and treasure.”
The authors of the Retraction Watch comments policy urge commenters:
We”re also concerned about anonymous comments. We ask that all commenters leave their full name and provide an actual email address in case we feel we need to contact them. We may delete any comment left by someone who does not leave their name and a legitimate email address.
And, as noted, product pitches of any sort – pushing treatments, tests, products, procedures, physicians, medical centers, books, websites – are likely to be deleted. We don”t accept advertising on this site and are not going to give it away free.
The ability to leave comments expires after a certain period of time. So you may find that you’re unable to leave a comment on an article that is more than a few months old.
You might also like