Newswire21.org

Those new federal standards for breast cancer screening? Fuhgetaboutit, says Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services.

A government health panel sparked a major controversy by saying women in their 40s don't need mammograms and that self-exams do no good. The panel suggested women start getting a mammogram every two years at age 50 - advice that runs against the standard guidance for women that was developed over the past three decades.

Sebelius acknowledged the recommendation from the US Preventive Services task force, a panel made up of independent doctors and scientists, caused "a great deal of confusion and worry among women and their families" across the country. "They do not set federal policy and they don't determine what services are covered by the federal government," the secretary said.

"The Task Force has presented some new evidence for consideration but our policies remain unchanged. Indeed, I would be very surprised if any private insurance company changed its mammography coverage decisions as a result of this action," she added, noting a need for more information.

"My message to women is simple," she said. "Keep doing what you have been doing for years - talk to your doctor about your individual history, ask questions, and make the decision that is right for you."