I am Associate Professor of Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and director of the Familial Cancer Program at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. In the past number of years my professional focus has been breast cancer research, the care of breast cancer patients, and the application of our rapidly-expanding fund of knowledge in cancer genetics. I wish to thank the committee for this invitation to address the important issue of how health-related information is provided to people in a manner in which they can make rational decisions.
Decisions regarding one's health can be among the most difficult an individual faces.
This is particularly so when the decisions relate to illnesses which are serious, common, and greatly feared. As a medical oncologist, it is my job to help those afflicted with cancer understand their disease and their treatment options, and then work with them to implement their choices and realize their goals. Though many tumors look identical under the microscope, every illness is unique. And, although the availability of relevant data from clinical research studies helps immensely in cancer treatment decisions, from the perspective of the patient every decision must be tackled anew. In order for information to be of value to people facing important decisions it must be accurate, relevant, and available in a useful and understandable format.