Epidemiology Versus Scare Mongering: The Case for the Humane Interpretation of Statistics and Breast Cancer

It is essential that the epidemiological aspects of breast cancer are understood by clinicians and used humanely in counselling women to compensate for the scare mongering of the media and ill informed agents of public health policy. Examples described in this paper include breast cancer awareness campaigns, the promotion of breast cancer screening, the use of oral contraceptives, and the prescription of hormone replacement therapy. The translation of relative risks into absolute numbers will allow the proper advice necessary for women to make informed choices about risk avoidance and risk management.