U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

BALINTFY OPEN:

Mammograms are an important early-detection tool that can help save lives -- that's the message provided Thursday [February 21] by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.

Secretary Thompson...

THOMPSON:

"The Federal Government's recommendation remains very clear: Women in their 40s and older should be screened every one to two years with mammography."

BALINTFY CLOSE:

The Secretary's statement was made during a Press Conference announcing the updated U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation about screening for breast cancer.

The recommendation says that regular mammograms can detect cancer early -- and reduce the risk of death from the disease. In addition, women should talk with their clinicians about when to have a first mammogram -- and how often to have them after that.

For free information about breast-cancer screening, call 1-800-358-9295. That's 1-800-358-9295. This is Joe Balintfy reporting.

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