Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer Socie
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Risks of Mammography: Hidden Role of the American Cancer Society
http://world-wire.com/news/0911240002.html
CHICAGO, IL, November 24, 2009 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- The series of recent
articles on mammography which report the harm done by overscreening, written
by New York Times columnist Gina Kolata, as well as in other newspapers,
have made no reference to the critical role of the American Cancer Society,
warns Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition.
Five radiologists have served as presidents of the American Cancer Society
(ACS). In its every move, the ACS promotes the interests of the major
manufacturers of mammogram machines and films, including Siemens, DuPont,
General Electric, Eastman Kodak, and Piker.
This bias hypes mammography, which Dr. Epstein and Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D. of
the International Physicians for Humanitarian Medicine emphasize is an
avoidable cause of breast cancer.
"The mammography industry conducts research for the ACS and its grantees,
serves on its advisory boards, and donates considerable funds," they warn.
"DuPont also is a substantial backer of the ACS Breast Health Awareness
Program; sponsors television shows and other media productions touting ACS
literature for hospitals, clinics, medical organization, and doctors;
produces educational films; and aggressively lobbies Congress for
legislation promoting the nationwide availability of mammography services."
In virtually all its actions, the ACS has been and remains strongly linked
with the mammography industry. Meanwhile, it ignores or attacks breast self
examination (BSE), following training by expert nurses or clinicians, which
is the safe and effective alternative, say Drs. Epstein and Bertell.
ACS promotion continues to lure women of all ages into mammography centers,
leading them to believe that mammography is their best hope against breast
cancer. A leading Massachusetts newspaper featured a photograph of two women
in their twenties in an ACS advertisement that promised early detection
results in a cure "nearly 100 percent of the time."
An ACS communications director, questioned by journalist Kate Dempsey,
admitted in an article published by the Massachusetts Women's Community's
journal Cancer, "The ad isn't based on a study. When you make an
advertisement, you just say what you can to get women in the door. You
exaggerate a point...Mammography today is a lucrative [and] highly
competitive business."
Not surprisingly, the prestigious Chronicle of Philanthropy, the leading
charity watch dog, has warned that the ACS "is more interested in
accumulating wealth than saving lives."
This evidence on the complicity of the ACS was made available to Gina Kolata
at her request on October 20th, Dr. Epstein says. However, in her subsequent
series of articles, she made no reference to the role of the ACS in
concealing the dangers of mammography from the nation's women.
Routine mammography delivers an unrecognized high dose of radiation, warn
Drs. Epstein and Bertell. If a woman follows the current guidelines for
premenopausal screening, over a 10 year period she would receive a total
dosage of about 5 rads. This approximates the level of exposure to radiation
of a Japanese woman one mile from the epicenter of atom bombs dropped on
Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
"Mammography is a striking paradigm of the capture of unsuspecting women by
run-away powerful technological and global pharmaceutical industries, with
the complicity of the cancer establishment, particularly the ACS, and the
rollover mainstream media," they warn.
Drs. Epstein and Bertell emphasize, "Promotion of the multibillion dollar
mammography screening industry has also become a diversionary flag around
which legislators and women's product corporations can rally, protesting how
much they care about women, while studiously avoiding any reference to
avoidable risks of breast cancer.
Screening mammography should be phased out in favor of annual clinical
breast examination, (CBE), by a trained nurse and monthly breast self
examination (BSE), also following training by a trained nurse. This is an
effective, safe, and low-cost alternative, to diagnostic mammography, the
two experts advise.
"Such action is all the more critical and overdue in view of the still
poorly recognized evidence that mammography does not lead to decreased
breast cancer mortality," they say.
Drs. Epstein and Bertell envision nationwide networks of BSE and CBE
clinics, staffed by trained nurses, saying, "These low-cost clinics would
also empower women by providing them with scientific evidence on the risks
of breast cancer, and also on its prevention."
This information is of particular importance, they say, in view of the high
incidence of breast cancer, which has increased by 18% from 1975, in spite
of the multi-billion dollar U.S. insurance and Medicare costs of
mammography. Such funds should be diverted to establishing BSE clinics
nationwide and providing public information on the wide range of avoidable
causes of breast cancer.
This information was detailed in 2001 in a scientific article on "The
Dangers and Unreliability of Mammography: Breast Examination As A Safe
Effective and Practical Alternative," published in the prestigious
International Journal of Health Services as long ago as 2001. This was
co-authored by Dr. Epstein, Dr. Bertell, a leading international expert on
radiation hazards, and the late Barbara Seaman, the leader and founder of
the women's breast cancer movement.
Samuel S. Epstein, M.D. is professor emeritus of Environmental and
Occupational Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of
Public Health; Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition; and a former
President of the Rachel Carson Trust. His awards include the 1989 Right
Livelihood Award and the 2005 Albert Schweitzer Golden Grand Medal for
International Contributions to Cancer Prevention. Dr. Epstein has authored
20 scientific articles and 15 books on cancer prevention, including the
groundbreaking The Politics of Cancer (1979), and most recently Toxic Beauty
(2009, Benbella Books: www.benbellabooks.com) about carcinogens in cosmetics
and personal care products.
Rosalie Bertell, Ph. D. is an expert in Radiation Epidemiology. She is the
retired President of International Institute of Concern for Public Health,
Member of the Board of Regents of the International Physicians for
Humanitarian Medicine; Member of the European Committee on Radiation Risk
and the Cancer Prevention Coalition (U.S.). Dr. Bertell is a recipient of
many awards, including the United Nations Environment Program, Global Five
Hundred Award and the Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize). She
is author of five books and has published more than 100 professional papers
and articles.
CONTACT:
Samuel S. Epstein, MD
Professor emeritus
Environmental & Occupational Medicine
University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition,
Chicago, Illinois 60612
Tel. 312-996-2297
Email: eps...@uic.edu
Web: www.preventcancer.com
Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D.
Regent, International Physicians for Humanitarian Medicine
Founding Member European Committee on Radiation Risk
Yardley, Pennsylvania 19067
Tel. 215-968-4236
Email: rosalie...@greynun.org
Web: www.iicph.org