On 2014 Jul 13, David Keller commented:

I concur that the USPSTF "got it wrong" with their blanket recommendation against PSA screening, and I would add that I also disagree with their recommendation against carotid artery screening, and their inconclusive report regarding the evidence that multivitamins reduce cancer rates in men.

The USPSTF is tasked with producing or updating a large number of recommendations each year on a wide variety of topics; it is difficult to imagine how one committee of part-time volunteer primary care physicians can provide definitive answers to such a spectrum of difficult questions. Perhaps this is why many clinicians disagree with these recommendations and do not adhere to them.

Click the following link for a rebuttal of the USPSTF blanket recommendation against PSA screening:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24394929#cm24394929_2707

Click the following link for a rebuttal of the USPSTF recommendation against carotid artery screening for asymptomatic persons:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25003392#cm25003392_5218

Click the following link to read why the USPSTF should have recommended that men consider taking a multivitamin supplement:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24887626#cm24887626_4774

The following link argues against the USPSTF's condemnation of breast self-examination:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19920272#cm19920272_5419

Rather than expecting one committee to be able to arrive at the correct answer on such a wide variety of topics, it would make more sense to have several separate committees, each with a different focus of expertise. For example, one committee should be devoted solely to the issue of prostate cancer screening, and (unlike the current USPSTF) it should include urologists, which seems like an obvious necessity. There should be another separate committee devoted to the question of screening for asymptomatic atherosclerosis, with carotid ultrasound or otherwise, and it could include experts on atherosclerosis.

The many varied questions addressed by the USPSTF demand a greater degree of focus and specialization than any one committee can realistically provide, particularly since they serve as part-time volunteers.

On 2014 Jul 13, David Keller commented:

I concur that the USPSTF "got it wrong" with their blanket recommendation against PSA screening, and I would add that I also disagree with their recommendation against carotid artery screening, and their inconclusive report regarding the evidence that multivitamins reduce cancer rates in men.

The USPSTF is tasked with producing or updating a large number of recommendations each year on a wide variety of topics; it is difficult to imagine how one committee of part-time volunteer primary care physicians can provide definitive answers to such a spectrum of difficult questions. Perhaps this is why many clinicians disagree with these recommendations and do not adhere to them.

Click the following link for a rebuttal of the USPSTF blanket recommendation against PSA screening:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24394929#cm24394929_2707

Click the following link for a rebuttal of the USPSTF recommendation against carotid artery screening for asymptomatic persons:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25003392#cm25003392_5218

Click the following link to read why the USPSTF should have recommended that men consider taking a multivitamin supplement:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24887626#cm24887626_4774

The following link argues against the USPSTF's condemnation of breast self-examination:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19920272#cm19920272_5419

Rather than expecting one committee to be able to arrive at the correct answer on such a wide variety of topics, it would make more sense to have several separate committees, each with a different focus of expertise. For example, one committee should be devoted solely to the issue of prostate cancer screening, and (unlike the current USPSTF) it should include urologists, which seems like an obvious necessity. There should be another separate committee devoted to the question of screening for asymptomatic atherosclerosis, with carotid ultrasound or otherwise, and it could include experts on atherosclerosis.

The many varied questions addressed by the USPSTF demand a greater degree of focus and specialization than any one committee can realistically provide, particularly since they serve as part-time volunteers.