A report in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper (15/3/10) indicated that the overuse of CT scans might actually cause cancer in patients who otherwise might not have developed it. More than 400 new cases of cancer a year in Australia are attributable to diagnostic radiology, according to medical research statistics.
Richard Ablin, the specialist who devised the blood test used on 1 million Australians a year said the test ‘… is hardly more effective than a coin toss’ and believes the antigen test should be abandoned. In light of this, it is highly likely that many people will feel more anxious and helpless in making health-care decisions.
We are living in an era where we ‘assume’ that ‘the professional’ holds the key to solutions to our problems. Whilst professionals or the bodies they represent are valuable sources of support in overcoming our difficulties, we must remember that each of us are responsible for our health and seeking out information regarding interventions. Richard Albin’s comment reminds us that we must not blindly assume that what medical science offers at one time, might not be changed by subsequent information. The more we seek out information of how we can maximise our health and create lives that are sustainable and balanced, the more we empower ourselves to be well. Then medical assistance can be drawn on to maximise this rather than being the only solutions to our problems.
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