New Resource to Help Health Practitioners Discuss PSA Testing with Patients

To improve health outcomes for men, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has drafted a resource to help health practitioners discuss  Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing with patients.

NHMRC is now inviting public comments on the draft, particularly from health practitioners who care for men who are concerned about prostate cancer but who are not experiencing any symptoms of the disease.

“The draft resource aims to provide balanced, evidence-based information for health practitioners to support their discussions with men and their families,” NHMRC CEO Professor Warwick Anderson said. “This resource is to help all men to be fully informed before deciding whether or not to have a PSA test to detect prostate cancer, equipped with a sound understanding of the possible effects of  follow-up investigations and treatments.”

The draft resource was developed by a multidisciplinary expert advisory group with broad representation from disciplines including general practice, medical oncology, urology, pathology, public health, epidemiology, Aboriginal and rural health, and evidence-based practice. Consumers were also represented.

Consultation on the draft PSA Testing resource will close at 5pm on Tuesday 20 August.