Staying Healthy
Why do medical guidelines change frequently?
On call
Q. I find it disconcerting that medical recommendations and guidelines seem to change so often. For example, I recently read there may be another change in colon cancer screening recommendations. How does a person decide what's right?
A. There are several reasons why these changes happen. One reason is that ongoing research provides new information that leads to new guidelines. Another issue is different expert opinions. As you pointed out, a good example of this is the controversy this year regarding when people at average risk for colon cancer should begin screening.
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About the Author
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
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