Clinical preventive services can provide excellent value
At first glance, this editorial sounds like the author may finally be grasping what prevention is. Read a little further, and you find that his definition of “prevention” includes many cancer screenings, blood pressure checks and vaccinations. I’m confused. How can a cancer screening (i.e. LOOKING for cancer) be considered preventative (PREVENTING cancer)? We are looking for the disease in a screening; not preventing the onset of the disease in the first place. Let’s compare the cost effectiveness of a good quality multi on reduction in heart disease. And that same multi lowering risk of certain types of cancer. And preventing neural tube defects. The cost per lives saved would be a mere micro-fraction of similar “preventative” measures mentioned in this editorial. Why is the word prevention such a hard concept to grasp? Maybe the answer lies in the author’s bio…worked for the CDC and then was hired by Merck Pharmaceuticals…Any conflict of interest here?
wjm — Teutsch 174 (2): 84