Slashdot Mirror
Why Doctors Hate Science
theodp writes "A 2004 study found some 10 million women lacking a cervix were still getting Pap tests. Only problem is, a Pap test screens for cervical cancer — no cervix, no cancer. With this tale, Newsweek's Sharon Begley makes her case for comparative-effectiveness research (CER), which is receiving $1 billion under the stimulus bill for studies to determine which treatments, including drugs, are more medically sound and cost-effective than others for a given ailment. Physicians, Begley says, must stop treatments that are rooted more in local medical culture than in medical science, embrace practices that have been shown scientifically to be superior to others, and ignore critics who paint CER as government control of doctors' decision-making."
I bet next they give mandatory prostate exams to women too!
"Infecting minds with my own memetic virus, one post at a time." Ultimape
find me one federal agency that never tried to expand their power exponentially, often in the name of "the public good".
The IRS. At least, they don't claim it's for the public good. :P
Don't give them ideas.
Insanity: voting in the same two parties over and over again and expecting different results
I'm 53 and my physician makes a regular practice of PSA tests for men my age, actually I started having them @ 50. Also just had my first colonoscopy recently and good thing as I had one tumor removed that was pre-cancer.
This is rule of thumb, and Dr. Merenstein should have known this.
Could we please refrain from talking about a colonoscopy and using the phrase "rule of thumb" in one post?
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
Hmm, I can see it now:
Doctor: Tests came back, I'm afraid I have bad news. You have a serious form of cancer that could kill you in the next year if we don't treat it immediately.
Patient: But I feel fine!
Doctor: Oh, haha, my bad. In that case, here's a lolly!
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
Well then, if iqcomparisonsite.com says so, it must be true!
Oh look! I just won a free ipod!
- Dr. Nick
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
... suprised no one has said "usually people who want to hurt/maim people don't become DOCTORS."
They become dentists.
A second hand is involved? I'm NEVER having a colonoscopy. D:
I used an anecdote once, and it was like TOTALLY reliable. Besides, I read a study in O magazine that said that 4 out of 5 statistics are completely made up.
"I love his boyish charm, but I hate his childishness" - Leela
I used an anecdote once, and it was like TOTALLY reliable. Besides, I read a study in O magazine that said that 4 out of 5 statistics are completely made up.
I know this guy who says it's really more like 4.5 out of 5.