Samantha Armytage has criticised a “foolish” newspaper column published in response to her recent TV segment about mammograms.
Last week, the 41-year-old underwent the test during an episode of Sunrise, sharing breast cancer statistics and urging women to be diligent about screening for it.
“They say after 50 get [mammograms] done every two years; I would say start at 40, if you feel like it, if you want to,” she remarked to her co-hosts after the segment.
However, doctor Alexandra Barratt took issue with this suggestion, describing it as “well-meaning but uninformed” in an opinion piece for Fairfax over the weekend.“Channel Seven’s misguided advice on breast screening ignores vast amounts of independent medical research about the downsides of cancer screening tests,” she wrote.
“Screening healthy women in their 40s is more likely to harm than save lives … Most of the benefit of screening occurs in women aged 50-74.”
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Armytage has since condemned the article in an Instagram post, in which she labelled it “one of the most foolish opinion pieces I’ve ever encountered”.
“Attacking me for encouraging women to have mammograms. Honestly,” she wrote.
“At NO POINT did I give medical advice. My breast cancer specialist told me she would like women to be checked from 40 onwards.
“And all of my statistics for this story concerning breast cancer came from Breast Screen NSW.”
The TV personality’s on-air mammogram was part of a Sunrise series in which the show’s hosts, including David Koch, underwent life-saving medical tests.
During the segment, Meredith Kay from BreastScreen NSW informed Armytage the organisation urged women to have a mammogram every two years from the age of 50.