Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

How can medical guidelines be immune from politics?

Marya Zilberberg, MD, MPH
Conditions
January 4, 2010
Share
Tweet
Share

The recent uproar over the new screening mammography recommendations got me thinking about a lot of stuff. One of the lessons cited by some journalists and pundits is on how potentially volatile information should be presented to the public. The USPSTF was excoriated by critics not only for what it said, but how it said it. While the objections over the former can be dismissed as ravings of loud and poorly informed voices deliberately trying to hijack public opinion, the latter criticism is more insidious.

Some intelligent and balanced observers noted that the USPSTF really should have foreseen the fallout and laid the groundwork to make the sting of the recommendation less pronounced. In the corporate world this is called “making the rounds”. This means that, when you have an idea, it is not enough just to present it on its merits in a group forum. Indeed, you must go around to those whose opinions matter and get them to sign on to your idea before you make it public. In this way, by furthering your relationships, you manipulate the outcome in your favor. This can take countless hours, but this is how things generally get done in the world of business.

The world of politics is similar, in that many reforms and decisions are dependent on behind-the-scenes deal-making between politicians. These clandestine transactions, the theory goes, assure the appearance of a successful outcome in the light of day. And a victory necessarily begets other victories.

Well, to be sure, science and academia are not immune from such politicking and manipulation. In fact, I have heard some assert that our academic institutions are the most politically charged enterprises, even more so than business and politics. So, in that respect, it is not unreasonable to expect some round-making prior to spilling the mammography beans. But what if we question this premise? What if we insist that science remain the last frontier shielded from political influences? I would argue that this should be our only stance on science, be it climate science or medicine. Science should be judged on its merit only, and not on its political ramifications.

In a society where business and political message machines spend countless dollars on market research surveys to package their manipulations to get us to follow their political and consumerist directions, the public is now angry that the USPSTF, a scientific body, did not take the time to effect an elaborate manipulation scheme to get the loud dissenters, and the rest of us, on board with their recommendations. Is it not outrageous that we, American adults, expect, and even demand, such manipulation instead of the straight unadulterated truth?

This is a sad reality of our time, following decades of indoctrination by marketers, educators and other “experts”, to become compliant little consumers that we are today. How easily we are stirred into a rage by callous reporting and special interest demagoguery is telling. We are a mirror-mirror-on-the-wall society: we will not tolerate any truth that does not fit our conveniently preconceived notions of specialness and entitlement. And while this attitude gives us a peaceful soporific feeling one gets following a psychotic rage, it will make it that much more painful when this consumerist fog is replaced by the reality of shortages, as our cheap energy supply dwindles. Unfortunately, by then, it will be too late for the truth to set us free.

There is still time, though! Turn off the television, stop listening to and reading mass-produced messages designed to make you a quiet lemming on its way off the cliff. Focus closer to home, build your local community. And, yes, talk to your doctor about your mammography concerns — you will surely walk away with a more satisfying conclusion and a feeling of self-determination.

Marya Zilberberg is founder and CEO of EviMed Research Group and blogs at Healthcare, etc.

Submit a guest post and be heard.

Prev

How effective is a single dose of H1N1 vaccine for adults?

January 4, 2010 Kevin 0
…
Next

How can we stop the spread of unproven heart scans like CT angiography?

January 5, 2010 Kevin 10
…

Tagged as: Oncology/Hematology, Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
How effective is a single dose of H1N1 vaccine for adults?
Next Post >
How can we stop the spread of unproven heart scans like CT angiography?

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Marya Zilberberg, MD, MPH

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Doctors are shackled by the stigma of ignorance

    Marya Zilberberg, MD, MPH
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    A radical transformation in healthcare decision making is needed

    Marya Zilberberg, MD, MPH
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Turn away from interventions that merely prolong dying

    Marya Zilberberg, MD, MPH

More in Conditions

  • Coconut oil’s role in Alzheimer’s and depression

    Marc Arginteanu, MD
  • Ancient health secrets for modern life

    Larry Kaskel, MD
  • How the internet broke the doctor-parent trust

    Wendy L. Hunter, MD
  • Mpox isn’t over: A silent epidemic is growing

    Melvin Sanicas, MD
  • How your family system secretly shapes your health

    Su Yeong Kim, PhD
  • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

    Thomas Amburn, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why your clinic waiting room may affect patient outcomes

      Ziya Altug, PT, DPT and Shirish Sachdeva, PT, DPT | Conditions
    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • The ethical crossroads of medicine and legislation

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • Why transgender health care needs urgent reform and inclusive practices

      Angela Rodriguez, MD | Conditions
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine

      Tom Phan, MD | Physician
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How tragedy shaped a medical career

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Physician
    • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

      Joseph Pepe, MD | Physician
    • Coconut oil’s role in Alzheimer’s and depression

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

      Mariana Ndrio, MD | Physician
    • Unused IV catheters cost U.S. hospitals billions

      Piyush Pillarisetti | Policy
    • Why U.S. universities should adopt a standard pre-med major [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 5 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why your clinic waiting room may affect patient outcomes

      Ziya Altug, PT, DPT and Shirish Sachdeva, PT, DPT | Conditions
    • The human case for preserving the nipple after mastectomy

      Thomas Amburn, MD | Conditions
    • Nuclear verdicts and rising costs: How inflation is reshaping medical malpractice claims

      Robert E. White, Jr. & The Doctors Company | Policy
    • How new loan caps could destroy diversity in medical education

      Caleb Andrus-Gazyeva | Policy
    • IMGs are the future of U.S. primary care

      Adam Brandon Bondoc, MD | Physician
    • The ethical crossroads of medicine and legislation

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Health equity in Inland Southern California requires urgent action

      Vishruth Nagam | Policy
    • Why transgender health care needs urgent reform and inclusive practices

      Angela Rodriguez, MD | Conditions
    • How restrictive opioid policies worsen the crisis

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why primary care needs better dermatology training

      Alex Siauw | Conditions
    • New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine

      Tom Phan, MD | Physician
    • Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How tragedy shaped a medical career

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Physician
    • A doctor’s guide to preparing for your death

      Joseph Pepe, MD | Physician
    • Coconut oil’s role in Alzheimer’s and depression

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How policy and stigma block addiction treatment

      Mariana Ndrio, MD | Physician
    • Unused IV catheters cost U.S. hospitals billions

      Piyush Pillarisetti | Policy
    • Why U.S. universities should adopt a standard pre-med major [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

How can medical guidelines be immune from politics?
5 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...