SCC Rejects appeal by BC Man regarding prostate exam

[VanIsle]

This should not have been rejected. There is no reason whatsoever that men have to pay for this exam.

OTTAWA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal by a man who claimed it was unfair that he had to pay for a prostate screening test.
Laurence Armstrong of Victoria, B.C., brought the appeal because he objected to paying $30 for a prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA test, to screen for prostate cancer, while women got free cancer-detection tests.
Armstrong argued that it was unfair that women who have no cancer symptoms can get free tests to detect cervical cancers at any age, and mammograms to detect breast cancer between the ages of 40 and 79.
Armstrong had no symptoms of cancer and was over the age of 40 when his doctor ordered the test.
Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia reinstated a ruling by a human rights tribunal dismissing Armstrong's complaint.
The tribunal ruled that Armstrong had failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination.

 

[karrie]

I don't qualify for blood screening tests for cancer if symptom free, to the best of my knowledge. All cancer screening available to me is manual. Which is also available free of charge to men over 40 as far as I know.

 

[petros]

There should be TV ads informing men how to do their own checking like there is for breat cancer. I'm not afraid to say I do it. It's my health for Petro's sake! There is zero shame in insuring good health even if it means sticking a finger up your ass.

 

[AnnaG]

The finger is nowhere near the best way to determine prostate cancer any more than the boob grope is the best way to determine breast cancer.
But, the PSA is cheap enough and once a year is enough.
The big beef here is principle, of which the courts, part of the medical community, and the gov't seem to be illogical and arbitrary. Stoopid, IOW.

 

[Praxius]

There should be TV ads informing men how to do their own checking like there is for breat cancer. I'm not afraid to say I do it. It's my health for Petro's sake! There is zero shame in insuring good health even if it means sticking a finger up your ass.

Just don't pick your nose right after pick'n yer bum ;-)

 

[AnnaG]

Just don't pick your nose right after pick'n yer bum ;-)

lmao

 

[VanIsle]

I don't qualify for blood screening tests for cancer if symptom free, to the best of my knowledge. All cancer screening available to me is manual. Which is also available free of charge to men over 40 as far as I know.

In BC (and I don't know where else), all women over 40 have the right to a free mamogram every two years unless there has ever been a positive test come back. I believe women younger than that with a strong family history are also entitled. I have been told that anytime blood tests are done (a whole battery), they test for cancer and can usually tell if it is present in your system. I'm really not sure about that. I am old enough that I have requested complete tests for anything that may be wrong now as my mother and sisters had (one still living) bad hearts and I have a brother with a bad heart. My doctor agrees that I am at an age where it is good to start looking at such things and the number of things ticked off on the test sheet are numerous. I don't know if he's doing any cancer testing but by his general questions, I assume he's looking at anything obvious in that way as well as heart. There is no cost to me. My husband can have all the same tests done with the exception of the prostate cancer test which he must pay for. While it's not an expensive test to have done, as Anna has stated, it's the principle behind it. Men do not die of prostate cancer as frequently as women do of breast cancer but it's only a blood test, not a mamogram and really should be given free of charge. Years ago a friend of ours found out he had prostate cancer. He had never gone before for the blood test but he wished he had. He was smart in stating that it's good to get a reading before you begin to have symptoms so that you have a marker so to speak. My husband goes yearly at my insistance as his Dad had prostate cancer. Why wait?
I've had one false positive mamogram reading so I still have the right to go every year. Ya know all those cartoons that come around regarding the way it works. Well - don't laugh too hard - they are all true!!! Too true.:lol: Hurts like helloooo!

 

[karrie]

There should be TV ads informing men how to do their own checking like there is for breat cancer. I'm not afraid to say I do it. It's my health for Petro's sake! There is zero shame in insuring good health even if it means sticking a finger up your ass.

that's all fine and dandy if one's own finger reaches.

There should be TV ads informing men how to do their own checking like there is for breat cancer. I'm not afraid to say I do it. It's my health for Petro's sake! There is zero shame in insuring good health even if it means sticking a finger up your ass.

And FYI... my doc says breast self exams are no longer recommended... they didn't help, all they did is increase the number of worried visits over nothing.