Sumer's Radiology Site points to an article by Leonard Berlin, MD, about the need for disclaimers for mammography. Excerpts below.
Source: A Manifesto for Truth-in-Mammography Advertising | November 2004 | ImagingEconomics.com
Should we care that the advertisements marketing mammography did not include any of these caveats or limitations? And if so, why? The one-word answer to the first question is "Yes." The one-word answer to the second question is "Malpractice."
The allegation of a delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer is the leading cause of medical malpractice litigation in the United States today, and has been for the past decade. 1 Of all medical malpractice lawsuits filed in the United States that allege a delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer, radiologists are the most frequently sued specialists. Of all medical malpractice lawsuits lodged against radiologists, the most frequent cause is the allegation of a missed breast cancer on mammography. Why has "missed breast cancer" risen to first place in the medical malpractice standings? I suggest that it is because we have oversold mammography. We have marketed mammography without informing the American public all that we know about not only the benefits, but more important the limitations and potential harms of mammography.
In our well-intentioned and commendable effort to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with breast cancer, we radiologists, along with the American Cancer Society and other medically related organizations, have through advertising and other marketing campaigns encouraged women to undergo screening mammography. True, the high level of mammographic utilization that we have achieved through these marketing efforts has resulted in overall improvement in the health and welfare of American women, but at the same time, this marketing has resulted in something that can be considered detrimental: an exponential growth in malpractice litigation alleging misinterpretation of mammograms.
Although we - the radiologic community- know these facts, the public does not. A recent published survey of women's perceptions regarding the benefits of mammography screening revealed that 57% of American women believe that mammography prevents or reduces the risk of contracting breast cancer 3 ; 62% of American women believe that periodic mammography will reduce breast cancer deaths by 50% to 75% (researchers say that the generally accepted figure is 25%). Sixty percent of American women believe that mammography will prevent up to 80 deaths from breast cancer among every 1,000 women who undergo mammography (researchers say that the generally accepted figure is five deaths).
The radiology community must better inform and better educate the public. Radiologists, radiologic societies, and other medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society should continue to market mammography through public awareness announcements including advertisements. However, advertisements that expound the benefits of mammography must also include the potential risks and downsides of mammography, ie, the "fine print."
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