Wasserman Schultz defends her cancer bill

Debbie Wasserman Schultz took to the airwaves -- MSNBC - today to defend her legislation aimed at educating younger women about breast cancer. The bill has attracted opposition from several cancer groups who say it's well-meaning, but misguided. And Nancy Snyder, host of MSNBC's "Ask Dr. Nancy," appears to agree with them.

"At a time when you have been charged as a member of Congress to overhaul health care reform, and there doesn't seem to be enough money to go around, my concern is while well meaning, we know that
younger women have lumpier breasts, the chance of more false positives, higher spending," Snyder said. "Even the National Breast Cancer Coalition, which is seen by doctors as being a really credible coalition, even the American Cancer Society, they haven't jumped on the bandwagon with you."

Wasserman Schultz noted the "majority of the breast cancer advocacy community" supports the bill.

"The bottom line is it is a paltry sum to spend $9 million a year simply to raise the awareness of women younger than 45 about the importance of focusing on their breast health," Wasserman Schultz said. "We need to make sure that young women know what their breasts feel like and know what's normal for them so that they know when something feels different."

Comments

[Jeff Stier]

The interview was prompted by my article in Roll Call http://www.rollcall.com/news/36399-1.html
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Jeff Stier, Esq.
Associate Director
American Council on Science and Health
www.acsh.org
http://twitter.com/JeffACSH