The Truth about Health Risks and Benefits - Erik Rifkin : IHP12

This episode is going to blow your mind! If you thought the benefits and risks to many routine medical procedures and common medications were clear cut and prepare to have your world flipped completely upside down. In this episode, Dr. Eric Rifkin PhD, author of the illusion of certainty, and most recently his book "Interpreting Health Benefits and Risks", takes us on a journey explaining how statistics for many commonplace medical procedures and treatments, do not mean what you think they mean, and if you knew the Absolute Truth. You may very likely make a very different choice. Join us as we take a clear look at the health risks and benefits of cholesterol lowering medications, mammograms, colonoscopy's, bone density scans, PSA or prostate specific antigen testing, and a daily aspirin in the prevention of heart disease and stroke.  Here are some highlights:  The importance of Shared Decision Making between patients and Physicians. The difference between relative risk and absolute risk and an example of this so the audience gets the impact of it. Why things moved to looking at relative risk instead of absolute risk and the motivations behind this change. Benefit Risk Characterization Theater as a decision aid for patients to make better, informed decisions. Benefit/Risks for some of the big topics that will be very surprising for people to hear Cholesterol Statin medications Mammograms Colonoscopy Bone density scans PSA testing Aspirin and the prevention of heart disease and stroke