AMA Bucks USPSTF on Mammography

Healthcare Policy

EDITOR’S NOTE: Over the past three years, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued controversial recommendations related to routine screening mammography for breast cancer and prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer.  This article from MedPageToday updates the American Medical Association’s (AMA) House of Delegates’ most recent  stance on the utilization of mammography and PSA screening, and their opinion that the USPSTF’s recommendations may have adverse effect on needed cancer preventive care for Americans.

Frustrated with the lack of outside expert specialty representation on the USPSTF and in evaluating the evidence used to draft the cancer screening guidelines, the AMA House of Delegates also issued a statement strongly recommending that the USPSTF implement procedures that “allow for meaningful input” from specialists.

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association’s House of Delegates has come out in support of routine screening mammography for women starting at age 40. The new policy is in direct conflict with the controversial 2009 recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that routine screening mammography for breast cancer was unnecessary in women younger than 50.

AMA: "Every woman should be eligible for routine screening mammograms every year starting at age 40." (Shutterstock Image)

The House of Delegates stopped short of recommending that “every woman should get routine screening mammograms every year starting at age 40.” Strongly debated in Tuesday morning’s session, that language was rejected by the delegates in favor of a lighter “should be eligible” phrasing.

In a further slap at the federal task force, the House of Delegates voted to adopt a resolution stating that the AMA “expresses concern regarding recent recommendations by the USPSTF on screening mammography and prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening and the effects these recommendations have on limiting access to preventive care for Americans.”

CLICK HERE for the complete story on MedPageToday.com.