Word: pill
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...rate of breast cancer in women 30 to 34 who were former pill users was three times as high as in those who had not taken the drug...
...Women who took the Pill for more than ten years tripled their risk of developing breast cancer...
Though unsettling, these studies are far from conclusive. They contradict about 30 previous surveys, nearly all of which indicated that the Pill is safe. Last week an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration met to review the handful of studies suggesting otherwise. The panel's conclusion: the evidence is too weak to warrant a change in pill use or a new warning label. But the group admitted that the issue is not settled and called for further research...
Some consumer advocates think women should be warned that the safety of oral contraceptives is in question. "It's not clear the Pill is not associated with breast cancer," contended Judy Norsigian of Boston's Women's Health Book Collective. But most scientists, including those who conducted the disturbing studies, backed the FDA's stance. Said Bruce Stadel, an agency epidemiologist: "The findings are inconsistent and difficult to reconcile with biological plausibility...
Researchers believe the latest findings could be due to errors in study design or interpretation. Moreover, the surveys may not be relevant to current pills. The reports contain data on women who took older formulations of oral contraceptives; today's tablets contain lower levels of sex hormones and are considered much safer. Most doctors remain convinced that the Pill's documented benefits far outweigh unproven risks. Women will have to decide for themselves whether they agree...