Greedy Medical Companies Hiding Cancer Cure. No, Not Really

[jmiller]

The American Cancer Society released the results of a poll in the latest edition of the journal Cancer showing that over one quarter of Americans incorrectly believe that a cure for cancer has been found but is being kept a secret for profit reasons.
The poll aimed to measure the persistence of popular cancer-related myths among the general population.

While 27% believed that money-driven health care companies were squatting on a cancer cure, an additional 14% were unsure.

Dr. Ted Gansler led the national telephone survey of 957 adults without a history of cancer. Forty-one percent of those surveyed mistakenly believed that cancer could be spread by surgery. Thirteen percent were unsure.

In fact, 75% of respondents could not correctly identify all five cancer myths as true or false. All were false, but only one in four answered correctly.

Nineteen percent believed that pain medication is ineffective in treating cancer pain, while 13% said they didn’t know.

The vast majority of people, however, were at least knowledgeable and optimistic about the medical profession’s ability to treat the disease. Eighty-nine percent didn’t buy the idea that “all you need to beat cancer is a positive attitude.” Eighty-seven percent disagreed that “cancer is something that cannot be effectively treated.”

The rate of belief in cancer myths did seem eschewed toward those with lower-incomes and less education.

“The higher the income and the higher the education, the less likely [respondents] were to believe the myths," Gansler said. "But it is worth emphasizing that, even in people with high income and high education, some still believe the myths."

Dr. Gansler said he wasn’t all that surprised with the results but found them troubling nonetheless after three decades of cancer treatment advances.

“We actually did suspect there would be a lot of gaps in the understanding of cancer," he said. "That expectation is based on the experiences with the American Cancer Society call center."

Gansler also noted that more needed to be done to educate the public.

"These results indicate that public and patient education interventions are most urgently needed in cancer centres, medical practices and other community organizations,” he said.

[webhost1]

Hey, if you guys at WPW tell me that there is a cure, than that is good for me.

[Clicken]

Please Note: The title of the story is about medical companies hiding the cure, but the story with-in only brings to light the fact that there are some people who don't know anything about cancer.

Is this propoganda from the medical industry trying to fend off some bad press? I ask because recently I have seen some very disturbing accusations come forth from people who were on the inside but now can talk.

They have said that it is the big companies goal to make profits, and that finding a cure is not the top priority, because then they don't have those profits any more. Also that they intentionally make drugs addicting to keep customers for life.

You can't expect the accused to just give in to the accusation, no, someone will have to prove it.

I believe the average worker for these industries truly try to help and struggle to do so, but the corporate heads call the shots and make the profits.

People are like sheep, who do not think enough and will take someones word for it, especially if that someone is educated and has money. "They wouldn't hurt me diliberatly now would they?" (Read the fine print on their products for that hidden answer)

I don't think a drug or medical company is any different from any other big business who will hide and fraud for profit and this industry has major profits.

The medical profession and the pharmacutical companies have a benifit to society. I can understand and appreciate that, BUT, they can, will and do abuse their position and gullible people are the ones who are getting burned.

This strikes me as a way of just reminding people that the public is too dumb to know any thing about it.

[jawn_tech]

The US government is squatting on a safe treatment for cancer patients though, for sad political reasons.

It's called medical marijuana.