Cancer-rose – Press release June 2021

June 22, 2021

Website page "Enlightening information behind the fake news » set up by INCa - An unacceptable rubric on breast cancer screening

Website page in english

The French National Cancer Institute (INCa) has always adopted a partisan presentation of the benefits-risks balance on breast cancer screening, emphasizing the effectiveness of screening, although subject to contestation at international level, and minimizing risks of screening, despite of citizen consultation demands in 2016.

Currently, Professor IFRAH, the president of INCa, who is supposed to promote fair information, without bias, enabling women to make their informed decision, launches "the new rubric of INCa to fight against fake news ".

On the page regarding breast cancer screening,  questioning the benefits/risks balance of breast cancer screening is qualified as being "fake news". 

It is stated: "This scientific debate may have a negative impact on women and turn them away from screening", implying that a scientific debate could be similar to fake news.

Then, an assertion is made without discussion and without nuance of the pretended proven benefit of this screening, on the basis of "proofs" quoted in references which are... a report, a leaflet and a brochure all issued by this Institute. No source of independent scientific study is mentioned.

To deny the worldwide contestation around this screening, to refuse the debate, to downgrade any contradiction to the rank of fake news is unworthy of scientists and scandalous from an Institution in charge of informing about cancer.

Will the next step be the censoring of publications that contest or make unfavorable comments on screening, relayed in the media?

We request that this article on breast cancer screening to be removed from the National Cancer Institute's page website « Enlightening information behind fake news », because it is outrageous, insulting to the media, to scientists and to women who are fighting for an informed choice and no manipulation regarding breast cancer screening.

Cancer Rose est un collectif de professionnels de la santé, rassemblés en association. Cancer Rose fonctionne sans publicité, sans conflit d’intérêt, sans subvention. Merci de soutenir notre action sur HelloAsso.


Cancer Rose is a French non-profit organization of health care professionals. Cancer Rose performs its activity without advertising, conflict of interest, subsidies. Thank you to support our activity on HelloAsso.