Mike Scott from the New Prostate Cancer Info Link has sent an email to many members of the leadership of the prostate cancer community letting us know about an opportunity to provide feedback to the federal government asking that there be an office of Men’s Health established.

The following is a copy of Mike’s complete post:

“Today, the White House is hosting another in our series of Health Care Stakeholder Discussions with women leaders to discuss health reform and how we can ensure women get the quality affordable care they deserve,” and the Office of Women’s Health within DHSS has done a wonderful job of helping to ensure that women’s health issues are better addressed that they were a decade ago.

What has been lost, however, is a voice that is specific to men’s health issues. Men commonly ignore their own health care; frequently male health issues affect entire families because sick men who can’t work may not have health care coverage after a while (if they ever had it).

In addition, there are disorders that are either exclusive to or highly prevalent within the male community (e.g. prostate and testicular cancer) that come with their own specific issues.

I and many others would strongly argue in favor of setting up an Office of Men’s Health, as part of health care reform, within DHSS, to do for men’s health in the US what the Office of Women’s Health has so successfully done for women.

Mike”

I have added my own comment echoing Mike’s request. Having an Office of Men’s Health is vital to insuring that items such as prostate cancer start getting the federal attention it needs.

The following are my comments, which I have submitted:

“I am looking forward to health care reform, but I want very much to see the federal government start an office of Men’s Health. The Office of Women’s Health has done a fantastic job of insuring that the health care issues faced by women have been given the necessary consideration they deserve. However, the concerns that are specific to men’s health issues are not heard.

Men die younger than women do and they do have health concerns that are different than woman’s concerns. Men suffer specific diseases and ailments that women do not, but their issues have no voice.

It is time to change this problem and add to health care reform the establishment of an office of men’s health.

Thank you for considering this critical issue.”

I want to urge that each person, their spouse, partners, family members and friends also submit similar requests now. To submit a comment go to:

Submit your comment and click on “share your story and send your comment”

Joel T Nowak MA, MSW