PSA Testing, Like a Lot of Other Procedures, May Do More Harm Than Good, Some Doctors Argue

‘Scienciness’

The recent furor over PSA testing highlights a larger debate about over-prescribing care. Casey Schwartz and Clark Merrefield report.

Published May 26 2012 3:50PM EDT

articles/2012/05/26/psa-testing-like-a-lot-of-other-procedures-may-do-more-harm-than-good-some-doctors-argue/mammogram-screenings-schwartz_u5hikd — Bizuayehu Tesfaye / AP Photo

Earlier this week, a government-sponsored task force created a stir when it recommended against routine PSA (prostate specific antigen) screenings, the most common and widely accepted method of detecting the presence of prostate cancer for nearly two decades.