Dr. Jonathan Epstein weighs in on prostate biopsy containers

Rick - this is interesting; thanks for posting it. Although it is not the focus of the article, it raises in my mind the tension we often see between the interests of an individual patient and societal cost-related issues. Dr Epstein says 6 rather than 12 containers "with uncommon exception" does not impact patient care, and with 6 rather than 12 containers you do not "typically" lose information. So from a cost-focused, or "standard of care" focused perspective, 6 makes sense. But what if you are the uncommon or atypical case where 12 would reveal more information than 6? If I am the patient, if there is a one percent chance of that, then I want 12 containers. Just like I want the MRI scan if there's a one percent chance it will improve my outcome or my decision-making. But, of course, society (and insurance companies) don't want to pay for my "one percent protection." Maybe the answer is full information for patients. For example, the doctor can explain to me the "extra protections" that are available (scans, separate containers, a PAP test, ploidy analysis of my biopsy results, whatever), and then I can decide which of them to purchase -- assuming the government or my insurance company won't pay for them. But of course that is a lot of explaining for a doctor to do. And most patients, in the end, will just say "what should I do, doc?"