Ep. 29 Should I Get a Colonoscopy?

Lucas and Brion talk about the introduction of the colonoscopy as screening for the general population and find corruption, moneyed interest, and the usual Medical Industrial Complex shenanigans. But, is it still worth getting? Notes: Dramatic Cancer Drop not Attributed to Screening: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2016/05/colonoscopies-get-the-glory-but-reasons-for-dramatic-decline-in-colon-cancer-are-unclear/ Medicare reimbursement began for colonoscopies in 2001: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2010/03/memo-to-harry-smith-cbs-news-re-colonoscopy-crusading/ Chances of getting serious complications from colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy: https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/SupportingDoc/colorectal-cancer-screening/final-evidence-summary4#appendix-figure-1-proportion-of-total-serious-complications-in-colonoscopy-studies Screening Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html Mercola Pros and Cons of Colonoscopy: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/12/09/colonoscopy-pros-cons.aspx Problems of Mercola’s Article: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/colonoscopy-more-misinformation-from-mercola/ Risk factors for Colon Cancer increase: https://www.verywellhealth.com/colon-cancer-causes-risk-factors-796786 Canada does not cover colonoscopies due to lack of controlled study evidence: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2016/02/americas-closed-information-border-news-of-canadian-colon-cancer-screening-guidelines-denied-entry/ Natural Ways to prepare for a Colonoscopy: https://empoweredsustenance.com/skip-the-colonoscopy/comment-page-11/#comments Colonoscopy and cancer mortality a view of both sides of the story: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3625020/ Cancer incidence and deaths: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html Colon Cancer Rates: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0315/p1759.html Public Health Perspective on Colonoscopy: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21504323 Colorectal Cancer on the Decline — Why Screening Can’t Explain It All: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1600448 Flexible-sigmoidoscopy: https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/flexible-sigmoidoscopy#2 Chance of dying from General Anesthesia: http://www.anesthesiaweb.org/risk.php Is Colonoscopy the Best for Cancer?: http://mdwhistleblower.blogspot.com/2013/01/is-colonoscopy-best-colon-cancer.html Colonoscopy Accident: https://www.centerforhealthjournalism.org/2013/10/13/only-accident-fatal-colonoscopy-leaves-family-stunned-and-unpaid 80% screenings by 2018 Campaign Questions: https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2015/05/questions-about-80-percent-by-2018-campaign-to-boost-colorectal-cancer-screening/ Virtual Colonoscopy: https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/virtual-colonoscopy#1 Radiation levels of scans: https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=safety-xray Xray Cancer Risk Calculator: https://www.xrayrisk.com/calculator/calculator.php Music by Jenny Jahlee from Live at KBOO