Jackie Blue MP
National Party Associate Health Spokeswoman

4 November 2007

Movember 2007: lack of information on prostate cancer inexcusable <>

It’s a disgrace that two years on there’s still no action on Labour’s promised prostate guidelines to help advise doctors and men to make informed decisions about prostate cancer testing, says National Party Associate Health spokeswoman, Dr Jackie Blue.

“No guidelines and biased, inadequate information on the Ministry of Health’s website has lead to confusion and an assortment of practises.

“Regional differences in prostate cancer statistics recently reported by the MOH* are also cause for concern
“Why is it that Northland DHB has a very high death rate from prostate cancer but Bay of Plenty DHB has a very low rate?

“Why is it that Northland DHB also tops the registration rate but Lakes DHB has one of the lowest?
“Do the differing registration rates relate to socio-economic/ethnic make-up of DHBs as well as dietary and life-style factors?

“Why is it some DHBs are doing better than others in the rates that men are dying of this cancer?

“Like any early detection, access to specialist cancer services and timely treatment is at the crux of how well men do once they are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“But even more elementary to this is basic best practice information and guidelines.

“This is a fundamental right that has been blatantly ignored.

“Instead, all this Labour Government can do is offer broken promises.”

Ends

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