In a real nice investigative piece, the Wall Street Journal unearthed the controversy over IMRT. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a relatively new technology to treat prostate cancer. It is also an example of how money makes people do things they probably shouldn't do. The article is worth reading in full. It explains how IRMT escaped the laws of self-referral which led to urologists buying the machines to give IRMT. This led to an increased use of this treatment therapy which, by the way, is paid the most handsomely by Medicare. The WSJ found lies, damning statistics, crooked politicians (redundant?), and a huge ethical dilemma. It does make me sad to read this. Physicians, in this case urologists, are human and fall into the same trap of gluttony - greed - as everyone else. On one side, I understand that someone needs to buy the machines and so why should the oncologists make all the money (like radiologists have done by owning all the MRI machines, etc.). On the other side, this article proves that doctors will push patients towards the treatment that renumerates them better. Once again, unfortunately, I will have to put my Cerumen Cath Lab on hold.
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