BioCentury
ARTICLE | Regulation

Lessons from PSA debate

Implications of PSA screening recommendation go beyond prostate cancer

October 31, 2011 7:00 AM UTC

While the medical community debates a U.S. task force's recommendation against PSA screening for prostate cancer, the implications are far broader: The task force's methodology for subjectively balancing benefit and harm is being applied to all preventive services and diagnostics and can influence Medicare coverage decisions.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which began seeking public comment on its draft recommendation on Oct. 11, reviewed published studies and concluded the mortality benefit of PSA screening is small to none, while the rates of overdiagnosis and overtreatment based on PSA tests are substantial...