A Health Policy and Bioethics Consortium

Description

There is substantial debate over whether and how we should screen the general population to detect cancers such as breast, prostate, and colon cancer. The principle of early detection is attractive and for some patients can be life-saving. Some effective screening programs, like that for cervical cancer, remain under-utilized, particularly in lower-income countries. By contrast, other screening tests (like PSA or thyroid exams) are used despite questionable evidence of benefit, leading to unnecessary procedures and patient stress and morbidity. Panelists reviewed the cancer screening quandary, including the roles of regulatory authorities and guideline committees like the USPSTF, and considered policies that could help resolve these debates and enhance implementation of effective cancer screening programs in the U.S. and around the world.

This event was free and open to the public.

Panelists

​The Health Policy and Bioethics Consortia is a monthly series that convenes two international experts from different fields or vantage points to discuss how biomedical innovation and health care delivery are affected by various ethical norms, laws, and regulations.

They are organized by the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and the Program on Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law (PORTAL) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in collaboration with the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School. Support provided by the Oswald DeN. Cammann Fund at Harvard University.