Does Provision of an Evidence-Based Information Change Public Willingness to Accept a Screening Test ?

The basic requirement for patient decision making is the provision by the physician of an essential relevant and understandable information (Evidence Based) allowing him to decide whether he wish or not to receive the proposed treatment. This analysis shows that the willingness to undergo a doubtful screening test (about 70 % false positive responses) for a rare cancer by the general population change dramatically (60% versus 13,5%) according to the quality of information provided. This result, facing the impressive increase of diagnostic and screening procedures, could have important economical, ethical, clinical, public health and legal implications.