What's Behind USPSTF's New Breast Cancer Screening Recommendation?

The news has been buzzing about the recent changedirect result of the announcement.
in recommendations for breast cancer screening. TheIf indeed these new guidelines are a foreshadowing
old guidelines suggested that women begin havingof the demise of the US health care system as our
mammograms beginning at age 40, and that they befreedoms are sacrificed one at a time on the alter of
screened once each year. Now the U.S. Preventiveliberal progressivism, it comes as a surprise to me
Services Task Force says that women should waitthat the announcement would be made before the
until they are 50 years old to begin breast cancercamel gets its nose far enough into the tent to have
screening, and that they should only have an examany traction. I don't know what was said in the
done every two years.meetings that led to these new guidelines, but they
This new recommendation comes as a shock toare obviously out of stride with the great majority of
anyone who is familiar with breast cancer, which isthose who are in the know in the medical field. Could
treated most effectively when detected early.the panel have simply made a mistake, as if it's an
Outrage at the new breast cancer screeningisolated body out of touch with what's going on in
standard has come especially from women who aremedicine and cancer research? The task force's
survivors of breast cancer, and whose ability torecommendation statement includes a section entitled
defeat the disease came because they were getting"Harms of Detection and Early Intervention", citing
regular screenings beginning at age 40."psychological harms", unnecessary tests, and
This sudden drastic change definitely seems"inconvenience" for women whose mammogram
suspicious. Logically connecting the dots would tell atests result in false positives. That sounds like a
rational person that somehow this newparent asserting that her infant shouldn't be warned
recommendation is linked to the healthcare reformto stay out of the street because it might hurt his
debate that has been a hot topic over the monthsfeelings. And besides, there may not even be a car
since Barack Obama took office. His determination tocoming for a long time.
overhaul what has been the best health care systemOne might argue, "But it's just a recommendation.
in the world now seems to be anything but benign.Nobody is forced to follow it." Well, tell that to the
Doctor Peter Jokich of the Rush University Medicalinsurance companies who may use this
Center said in an interview with ABC News that therecommendation as a way to limit their coverage to
new guidelines are about "money and politics" andscreenings that fall within these guidelines. There are
show symptoms of "the beginnings of rationing care".programs and policies that are greatly affected by
Dr. Susan BoolBol, Beth Israel Medical Centerthe recommendations of a such an influential body as
commented that "[The new guidelines] will set breastthe USPSTF.
cancer back about 30 years."For those of us who have known for a long time
The American Cancer Society quickly rebutted thethat there are people in Washington whose intentions
new guidelines, saying that it will continue to promotewith health care, bailouts, and other aspects of
the existing policy. However, the collateral damage toAmerican society are not what they would like us to
many women in the United States may already bebelieve, this new health care rationing
done when considering the response to the newrecommendation is another warning about what could
recommendation. Many offices who screen for breastbe ahead.
cancer are seeing appointment cancellations as a