New breast cancer screening guidelines being questioned

The United States Preventive Services Task Force, a government-operated board of outside experts, has advised the Department of Health and Human Services on new guidelines for breast cancer screenings. The “task force” says women do not need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50. Instead of each year. In addition, they said that breast self-exams “do no good” and that we should not be taught to do them.

The task force says that early and frequent screenings often lead to false alarms and unnecessary procedures, without substantially improving the odds of survival.

The purpose of this panel is to routinely review the newest medical research and issue guidelines to reduce health risks. This task force is considered the gold standard in prevention recommendations because board members have no financial conflicts of interest.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced this week that it is maintaining its advice that women in their 40s get mammography screening every one-two years and women older than 50 get one each year. However, the group did say it would evaluate the data and the panel’s interpretations in greater detail.

If carried out, the task-force recommendations could possibly put a large number of women at risk of unnecessary death from a disease that has made significant headway. Is this government panel making these new guidelines now so that our proposed national health care plan does not have to allow them in the future? Another concern is whether insurance companies will begin denying coverage of breast cancer screens in women under 50 who want them?