It was a different month for the newest members of the junk science mob cut-throat pharmaceutical companies who used specious science to undercut their competitors' products. Historically, junk science was the weapon of choice for an unsavory crowd lawsuit-happy personal injury lawyers, overzealous regulators, the lifestyle police, and Chicken Little environmentalists. Now, some pharmaceutical manufacturers have opted to use junk science to scare the public about rival products. This rogue behavior is even more reprehensible in the context of breast cancer. Almost 44,000 will die from it.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for all women.
Though not preventable, more than 90 percent of breast cancers can be treated successfully if detected early. Used successfully for 55 years to ease menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, HRT has beneficial side effects, including reducing risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. But some circumstantial evidence has raised controversy about HRT and breast cancer risk. Reduced breast cancer has been reported where women's exposure to their own estrogen has been reduced, such as through hysterectomy, early pregnancy or exercise. Increased breast cancer has been reported where women's exposure to their own estrogen has been increased, such as through early menstruation, having children late, not having children, or reaching menopause late.