Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Analysis That Prostate Screenings Significantly Reduce Deaths Draws Skepticism
The New York Times: New Study Offers Support For Prostate Testing
For men who are weighing the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening, a new study strengthens the evidence that testing can reduce deaths from this cancer, something two earlier large landmark clinical trials appeared to reach different conclusions about. (Rabin, 9/4)
Stat: PSA Saves Lives, A New Analysis Finds. Not Everyone Agrees
An analysis of two influential studies of prostate cancer screening concludes that the much-debated test “significantly” reduces deaths from the disease, suggesting that current recommendations against routine PSA screening might be steering men away from a lifesaving procedure. The analysis, published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine, drew wildly different reactions, as is often the case with research on PSA screenings. Some experts in cancer screening and statistics said its novel approach was “on shaky ground” and used a “completely unverifiable” methodology that they had “never seen before,” but others praised its “intriguing and innovative approach.” There was one area of agreement, however: “I imagine it’s going to generate some buzz,” said biostatistician Ted Karrison of the University of Chicago. (Begley, 9/4)
