Poorer Cancer Outcomes in Government-Run Systems
Wanted to pass along this article from the BBC about a new study of cancer treatment outcomes concluding that tens of thousands of individuals in Britain may be dying unnecessarily from cancer due to “delays in diagnosing cancer in the UK and poorer treatment after diagnosis” when compared to health care in the United States. Patient advocate groups called for “giving older people fairer access to clinical trials and extending the upper age limits” where cancer screening services will be available for patients.
These disparities in treatment in the government-run National Health Service — where cancer treatments for older citizens are not widely adopted due to cost issues — are similar to those concerns raised by audience members at Wednesday night’s White House town hall. In that forum, President Obama admitted he would opt-out of any government-imposed restrictions on health treatments when it came to HIS family — but individuals without the means to do so may have no such opportunity.