Angelina Jolie’s mastectomy triggered sharp rise in gene testing

A 2013 announcement by the actor Angelina Jolie that she had had a mastectomy led to a sharp increase in breast cancer gene testing in US women but no change in overall mastectomy rates, a study in the Christmas issue of The BMJ has found.1

The results suggested that celebrity announcements influence the use of healthcare services but do not effectively target the groups at greatest risk for the underlying condition, said the researchers. Celebrity endorsements of health issues such as screening, fad diets, and supplements are ubiquitous—but evidence that they affect …