A recent federal task force’s study that discourages routine mammograms for most women below the age of 50 has sparked a major political debate. As a Washington Post article puts it, “The findings underscore a decades-long debate in the medical community about the benefits and risks of routine breast cancer screening for younger women.”
In response to the study, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) “announced that his House health subcommittee will hold hearings on the mammogram issue next month,” according to the Post report. And legislators from both political parties are suggesting that “the task force had been swayed by insurance companies that stand to save money if fewer screenings are performed.”
Certainly, insurance companies’ greed should not dictate what treatments are best for patients. Those decisions should be left to medical experts who know what they are talking about, who are responsible for making sound decisions and informing their patients of all attendant risks and benefits. As it stands, the American Cancer Society has reiterated that it will continue to recommend regular mammograms for women age 40 and above.
About the author:
Mr. Zambri is Past-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC and has been rated by Washingtonian magazine as a “Big Gun” and among the “top 1%” of all lawyers in the Washington metropolitan area. The magazine also describes him as “one of Washington’s best–most honest and effective lawyers” who specializes in personal injury matters, including medical malpractice actions stemming from misdiagnosed cancer and dangerous drugs. He has also been named a “DC Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyer magazine (March/April 2009)–a national publication that honors the top lawyers in America. If you need a patient advocate, we recommend that you read an article about medical malpractice claims authored by senior partner Salvatore Zambri.
If you want more information about your legal rights, please email Mr. Zambri at [email protected] or call him at 202-822-1899.