Gary Schwitzer is founder and publisher of HealthNewsReview.org.
The marketing of breast screening knows no bounds.
A friend sent me this story, commenting, “Just wow.”
And why would a plastic surgeon do breast exams? Follow the money.
Opinions on other issues in news, journals, PR, advertising, marketing
Monday at #ADA2021, an infectious disease epidemiologist, a journalist, and a researcher shared perspectives on communication of risk in the era of COVID-19: http://ow.ly/ROfR30rMeE7 @AstleyCM @garyschwitzer @berthahidalgo @ADA_DiabetesPro
Shoutouts to @susan_bewley @drkevinknopf @MichaelBaum11 in this call for more than fawning coverage from press releases for these kinds of stories.
Also, linked history inside goes back 5 years just on Grail apparently trying to become Holy Grail. https://twitter.com/garyschwitzer/status/1408849696416841731
Comments
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Pat Battaglia
April 30, 2012 at 10:52 amPlastic surgeons, due to the nature of their work, are trained to screen for breast cancer. That does not justify this gaudy, tasteless objectification of women. Two women who are dear to me have passed away from breast cancer in the past two weeks. It is an ugly, ugly disease. There’s nothing pink, pretty, or sexy about it. We have to stop using breast cancer “awareness” as an opportunity to ogle.
Kate Murphy
April 30, 2012 at 11:08 amSex sells. But what it is selling may not be very good for you.
It was unclear just was exams were being offered in the Boob Bus, but since they were being done by a plastic surgeon and not a radiologist, I’d assume they weren’t mammograms.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against teaching breast self-examination (BSE). (D recommendation.)
USPSTF also ” concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of clinical breast examination (CBE) beyond screening mammography in women 40 years or older.”
Given the short time the bus was scooting around Manhattan sporting pink leather, I doubt there was a good discussion between women and their doctors about screening risks and benefits for the 40 to 49 year olds, and heaven knows how many under 40’s were “screened” inappropriately.
But the worst part of this is that women of the right age “examined” in the bus may think they have really been screened — had a mammogram — when they haven’t been.
Good advertising, bad, bad science.
Susan Fitzgerald
April 30, 2012 at 11:55 amHuh…bet you didn’t imagine yourself writing that headline! Wow indeed.
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