Biomerica Inc, whose product EZ Detect is the simplest, most effective home fecal occult blood test, said that the American Medical Association's new Quality Care Alert should benefit the Company. The Alert, emphasizing important new developments in patient care, recommends an annual fecal occult blood test for every person age 50 or older.
The AMA alert issued in conjunction with 17 other collaborating organizations, says colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both women and men and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The AMA says that in 1999 almost 130,000 new cases were diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 56,000 died of this disease during that year.
"Despite evidence that early detection and treatment leads to a decrease in cancer-related mortality, screening rates among eligible populations remain low," the AMA said. "The importance of screening for colorectal cancer cannot be overstated."
Biomerica's EZ Detect Stool Blood Test detects hidden (occult) blood in the stool, which can be an early warning sign of colorectal cancer or other intestinal disorders. An 18-year study of more than 46,000 people published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that yearly screening for fecal occult blood can reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer by as much as 20 percent by detecting pre-cancerous polyps and lesions, leading to treatment before the onset of cancer.
"EZ Detect, a two-minute test, is sanitary, involving no handling of the stool, cost effective, easy-to-use, and requires no dietary restrictions. The user simply drops test pad into the toilet bowl after a bowel movement. It is available at drugstores, pharmacies and through physicians nationwide," said Francis E. Capitanio, President of Biomerica - Diagnostics.