Virtual Mentor. January 2006, Volume 8, Number 01

Ethics Poll

Asymptomatic screening: Is it asking for trouble?

The Ethics Poll is a snapshot of the opinions of interested readers.

Have you undergone the screening tests your physician recommends for your age and gender (eg, cervical cancer screening, colon cancer screening, cholesterol checks)?
All of them.
Some of them.
None of them.

 Which of the following best describes your interest in obtaining a full-body screening CT scan?
I do not wish to undergo a full-body screening CT scan.
I would undergo a screening CT scan if it were offered for free.
I would be willing to pay a few hundred dollars for a screening CT scan.

If you had a family history of a degenerative, eventually deadly illness for which there were no cure, would you undergo genetic testing to see whether you had the mutation that caused the disease?
Yes, under all circumstances.
Only if I had or planned to have a spouse and children whom my possible illness would affect.
Not under any circumstances.

View results
Poll results reflect the opinions of visitors to the site who voluntarily answer the poll questions. Those visitors do not represent a random sample of Virtual Mentor readers. The viewpoints expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.