[Jodie Meschuk]

Each year over 14 million Americans get screened for colon cancer. Of these, according to the report “Complications of Colonoscopy in an Integrated Health Care Delivery System” by the Annals of Internal Medicine, an estimated 70,000 (0.5%) may be killed or injured by colonoscopy-related complications. This figure is higher than the total number of annual deaths from colon cancer itself, 22% higher. Additionally, a colonoscopy only covers 50% of the colon. So for something that truly only looks at half of what is necessary to risk injury or death greater than the chances of dying from colon cancer are not worth it in my opinion.