Prevention Matters

From the Schwitzer health news blog: This week's edition of the BMJ publishes a study, an analysis and an editorial all showing that there isn't enough evidence to support population-wide prostate screening with the PSA blood test. (Subscription required to access full text of all of these.)

The Associated Press reported last week on a study showing that the drug Avodart lowered the chances of a prostate cancer diagnosis by 23 percent after four years of use. Health News Review's Gary Schwitzer dug a little further and found some figures that may take the bloom off that rose.

"The story said that 'to prevent a single case of cancer, 71 men would have to take finasteride [a similar drug] for 7 years." But it didn't then do the math. The story says Avodart is $3 per pill, so---

"71 men x 365 days/yr. x 7 yrs. x $3/pill = $544,215 to prevent a single case of prostate cancer."

"How can these kinds of numbers be left out of stories?" Schwitzer asks.