A Vancouver Island group is looking to the provincial government to change legislation that currently requires cancer patients to get a medical referral for a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test.
In an open letter to the premier and minister of health, Sea Wolves Nanaimo says early detection of prostate cancer can be lifesaving, but currently asks men to provide a medical referral which president Greg Brown says is both costly and discriminatory.
“There are several services for women to get mammograms done, including mobile services and clinics all over BC,” Brown says. “To get a blood test for a PSA test I need a doctor’s referral.”
Brown says early testing is critical for men when it comes to detection and treatment getting a simple blood test is cost effective and provides equal and fair treatment.
“Men’s prostate cancer is as common/prevalent in men as breast cancer is in women,” he says. “Not providing equal access to testing without a doctor referral adds significant costs to BC Health care systems as later detection requires more invasive and costly treatment options, including radiation, chemotherapy, prescription and hormonal therapies.”
Executive director of hospital and provincial health services Tracy Martell says while the ministry agrees early detection is a big factor in treatment, access to PSA testing doesn’t come without risks.
“The Canadian task force on preventative health care advises against routine PSA screening for asymptomatic men due to concerns about the balance of benefits and harms,” she says. “The limitations of PSA testing, such as false-positive and false-negative results underscore the need for careful consideration and individualized decision making in screening.”
According to the province, the recommendation by the ministry of health is men aged 50 years or older should speak with their primary care provider about their risk and make an informed decision. However, according to BC Health Care, there are 6,200 licensed family physicians which means 900,000 people in BC don’t have access to a doctor.
Seawolves Nanaimo says they will still pressure the provincial government to remove the barriers to access testing as it not only helps early detection, but also creates equity in health care treatment and reduces potential health care costs.
