FDA proposes requiring mammogram providers to inform women on breast density

Mammogram centers will be required to inform patients if they have dense breast tissue, according to a new FDA policy proposal that would expand nationwide a rule that more than 30 states currently have in place. The policy also says women must be informed of next steps they should take, including extra screening, because cancer is harder to detect in dense breast tissue and women who have it are also at higher risk for breast cancer. More than half of women over the age of 40 in the U.S. have dense breasts, according to the FDA, and so ensuring patients have access to the proper information “is an important part of a comprehensive breast health strategy,” agency Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy said in a statement.