North America is not catching up: I think they are getting ahead in terms of sense about screening. PSA screening in the UK is available, and meant to be about ‘choice’, even then health charities say they “Supports the right of every man over 50 – and younger men at higher risk – to make an informed choice about the PSA test: Supports the right of every man over 50 – and younger men at higher risk – to make an informed choice about the PSA test”
A linked editorial in The Journal of Family Practice says :
“it is time to stop this screening nonsense. The facts speak for themselves: A trial of 182,000 patients finds in a post hoc analysis of a very narrow population that death can be averted in one of 723 individuals who are screened.2 What about the complications associated with diagnosis, work-up, and treatment?
It is time for urologists and primary care physicians to tell patients that PSA screening is unlikely to benefit them.
Some of you will suggest that we counsel patients about PSA testing to facilitate informed decision-making. But do we advise patients to play the lottery or try futile therapies?”
Indeed.
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