BMJ  2005;331:161 (16 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7509.161

Letter

Aspirin for everyone over 50?

The buck stops in the consulting room

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—Surprisingly, Elwood et al let the medical profession off the hook about the risks of aspirin prophylaxis for myocardial infarction.1 To put the onus of decision taking on the patient, instead of the doctor being an informed mentor in the fight against vascular disease, is alarming.

How is the concept that "each person, not a doctor, should evaluate the risks and benefits" valuable in making a decision to a patient who is unaware of drugs and pharmacotherapeutics? The authors also advise that patients "are likely to accept a small increased risk of bleed or other side effect in exchange for a reduced risk of a heart attack or stroke." This is indirectly offered medical advice from doctors. Passing the buck is impossible when the buck stops here, in the consulting room.

Arunachalam Kumar, professor of anatomy

Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore 575001, India ixedoc@sulekha.com

Competing interests: None declared.

  1. Elwood P, Morgan M, Brown G, Pickering J. Aspirin for everyone older than 50?: FOR. BMJ 2005;330: 1440-1. (18 June.)[Free Full Text]

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Relevant Article

Aspirin for everyone older than 50?: FOR
Peter Elwood, Gareth Morgan, Ginevra Brown, and Janet Pickering
BMJ 2005 330: 1440-1441. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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