A couple of quotes from this weeks’ BMJ.

“Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, called on the next government to add the test to the existing national bowel screening programme as one of its first priorities. “I think it is a no brainer,” he said. “This is the most important development in cancer research for years. We very rarely see results as good as this.”

and

“The study’s leader, Wendy Atkin, professor of biosurgery and surgical technology at Imperial College London, said, “There has never before been trial evidence that shows that removing polyps reduces cancer incidence. This one-off 5 minute examination produces a big effect, reducing mortality by 43%.”

..except it isn’t a one off 5 minute examination that cuts mortality, it’s the following further tests and procedures and surgery that does so, and which will be expected to also do some harm to some people.

I hate it when good research becomes  part of a pressurised sales campaign.