Letter to the Editor: FELLOW VETERAN COUNTERS BAGROSKY PSA FEARS

To the Editor,

Because the VA didnโ€™t test his PSA, Martin Bagrosky goes on a rant about Obamacare, and is concerned about Sarah Palinโ€™s death panels. Richard J. Ablin discovered the PSA test in 1970 and now disowns it because its popularity โ€œhas led to a hugely expensive public health disaster.โ€ The annual bill is $3 billion and climbing. Why is it still used? Because drug companies continue peddling the tests and advocacy groups push โ€œprostate cancer awareness.โ€ The Preventive Services Task Force (the federal panel empowered to evaluate cancer screening tests) recommended against PSA screening for men 75 or older.

The test is hardly more effective than a coin toss. It canโ€™t detect cancer and it canโ€™t distinguish between two types of cancerโ€“the one that will kill you and the one that wonโ€™t. Mr. Bagrosky is worried about costs and who is deciding which tests he receives. Yet he is demanding a near worthless test the inventor of which no longer wants deployed for mass screening. Yes, the test is age driven, and hopefully you will not get a false positive that immediately sends you for a VA biopsy. As Dr. Ablin said, โ€œI never dreamed my discovery would lead to such a profit-driven disaster.โ€

If one is concerned with costs, this is a perfect place to start.

Jeff Davis, (VA user also)
Chestnut Ridge

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