Re: no need for preventive medicine?

From what I read in the paper and saw on the news, the decision was based more on issues with the reliability of the testing done on younger women than the percentage of detection of breast cancer in younger women. There are issues with false positives and subsequent follow-up testing and whether or not the testing was necessary to begin with. Younger women tend to have more dense breast tissue than older women and this tends to cause false positive tests. The new recommendations don't change for women who have breast cancer in their families, they should still get tested early and regularly. I think this is similar to changes made in regards to prostate cancer in men...apparently the PSA test is not that accurate. I would encourage people to be open minded about the new changes and not just assume that the government is out to kill us! I don't view this as just another "death panel" example. I think it is due to practical studies and what we can learn from them. That is the nature of science after all...when we learn new things, we modify what we say! My two cents worth!

Scott Satko said:

Your point is well-taken, Pete. I'd just feel more comfortable with this recommendation if the American Cancer Society seconded it (maybe that'll come soon, though, who knows?).

I am siding with the ACS which has decades of experience fighting cancer, rather than some government bureaucratic agency setting the health agenda. But let us not miss the real point here. In an Obamacare society, women would have NO CHOICE. If Obama's health care panels determine that a certain screening shouldn't be done (usually under the pretense of "saving money") then it won't be done. The ACS and the rest of the real medical community could do little more than complain, as people have been in Great Britain for the longest of time.

David E