The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60080

Barbara A. Brenner, JD, Breast Cancer Action, 55 New Montgomery Street, Suite 323, San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-243-9301, bbrenner@bcaction.org

The prevention of breast cancer is central public health goal. How to achieve this goal is the subject of substantial disagreement. For Breast Cancer Action and the Prevention First Coalition, the acceptable public health approach to breast cancer prevention lies in finding and eradicating the causes of breast cancer, not in medicating healthy women. Yet drug companies are developing and marketing pills for breast cancer "prevention" in healthy women. One drug - tamoxifen - has already been approved by the FDA for use by healthy women to reduce their risk of the disease. The media frequently refers to these types of drugs as "prevention" pills, though people who take them can and do develop breast cancer.

New drugs - including ralixofene and anastrozole - are being developed and tested for breast cancer "prevention." Some of these drugs are already being marketed to the public and the medical community, though they have not been approved by the FDA for this use, and have potentially fatal side effects.

With the onslaught of direct-to-consumer advertising and the initiation early this year of an anastrozole "prevention" trial, the public health community faces enormous challenges in assuring that people receive complete information about the medical approach to breast cancer prevention. The Prevention First Coalition provides the analysis that is essential to educate the public about the dangers of simplistic approaches to breast cancer prevention, and the importance of research into and public policy action on the causes of breast cancer.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to:
• Define breast cancer prevention from a public health perspective.
• Describe the drugs currently being promoted for breast cancer prevention to health women
• Recognize the drugs that will likely be promoted for breast cancer prevention in the future.
• Identify warning signals in drug advertisements that indicate overselling of drug benefits.
• Analyze and evaluate information provided by drug companies, directly and through the media, on drugs for breast cancer prevention.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Preventive Medicine

Related Web page: www.bcaction.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am an employee of Breast Cancer Action, which is a member of the Prevention First Coalition.