2 ms·
> for example lowering the prescribed age for breast screening would save lives This is not true. The problem is that breast screening also flags lots of beni
by bsder 2y ago
> for example lowering the prescribed age for breast screening would save lives
This is not true.
The problem is that breast screening also flags lots of benign things. These benign flags then need to be followed up and those procedures have health implications which may harm the patient worse than not learning about something benign.
My friend's wife got a screen that flagged "something". During the time between "something" and the result of the biopsy (which has its own complication rate), her blood pressure went soaring due to anxiety and she had to significantly increase her blood pressure medication.
Medicine is conservative and sometimes has odd incentives but the vast majority of the profession really does try to adhere to "First, do no harm."
- resource_waste 2y ago>"First, do no harm." Nah. First follow the corporate policy. Second keep them in your hospital network. Third always have follow up visits. "Do no harm" is just branding for the Physician Cartel.
- devonsolomon 2y agoYes, no doubt there are inverse consequences: I mean on an individual level, would catch cancers and potentially save those people’s lives. I believe breast cancer in pre-screening populations are often caught later.