To Screen or Not to Screen? Ethical Reflections on the Current Controversy about Mammography Screening

Mammography screening has become a popular public health intervention. However, the benefit of systematic population screening programs is controversial. This raises a number of ethical issues: How should disadvantages of screening – in particular overdiagnosis – be weighed against its potential benefits? What do women need to know in order to make an informed decision for or against screening? Should scarce public resources be invested in a program with unclear effectiveness? The following brief contribution will discuss these issues, comment on the recent policy debate in Switzerland, and suggest some points for further consideration.