Mammogram Recommendations – Too close to home.

 The recent recommendations of The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), came as a shock to many women and medical professionals when on Monday they released guidelines for women concerning mammograms. Having lived in England and Canada and seen the continuing controversy surrounding how this screening process is supported by governments I must agree with those who are outraged and confused. As a parent of two young ladies whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer while in her forties my advice to them is clear, screen in every way practical and available and do it regularly. I am fortunate, my wife did just that and although her cancer was very aggressive she is here with us today. Early detection, confirmation, and treatment combined with a radical and experimental regimen was the winning factor. I’m thoroughly convinced that even a month’s delay in detecting the cancer and treating her would have resulted in quite a different outcome. Our family is much more fortunate than a former employee’s. Her mother was finally diagnosed and delays in confirmation and treatment resulted in a re-occurrence and her untimely death. Certainly there are medical professionals who would argue that there could be other reasons for the outcome. My point is that we will never know. The family lives in Canada and I heard many stories while there regarding similar cases of delayed diagnosis. The same story was told by our neighbors in England. The papers there carried stories regularly of women who were fighting the National Health Service for earlier screening. Investigative reports uncovered financial evaluations used to determine the age demographic that “justified” coverage. Certainly those who want early screening are capable of getting it at their own expense. The questions are how will a government recommendation affect the decision making process of women in general, and how will this recommendation affect low income women that are faced with financial decisions? I cannot help but wonder what the long term effect might be on our future health system, whatever shape it takes, and what precedents are already being set. In my family the path is clear. There is no debate or question on this issue and we will not be influenced by a government sponsored recommendation that so carelessly lumps women into wide categories determined only by age and cost. This issue hits very close to home but doesn’t require any prolonged debate. In our house it will be ignored and dismissed as another example of government’s intrusion into the life and rights of the individual.