GAA opt against mandatory screening

Started by ziggysego, November 17, 2006, 03:39:33 PM

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Should the GAA provide mandatory screening?

Yes
13 (46.4%)
No
12 (42.9%)
Optional
3 (10.7%)

Total Members Voted: 28

ziggysego

QuoteThe GAA has decided against introducing mandatory screening of inter-county players, despite the fact that some may be at risk to sudden cardiac death.

Instead, the special committee set up to decide on the matter will recommend to the Management Committee that testing 600 players – a cross-section of county senior and minor hurlers and footballers – is a better starting point. Screening is mandatory in both the FAI and IRFU and several county boards have privately screened their county teams.

The decision has been met with disappointment by those who have campaigning heavily for blanket screening of all inter-county squads since the tragic death of Tyrone captain Cormac McAnallen in March 2004.

McAnallen's family has lobbied passionately since his death for regularized screening and has suggested that a mobile screening unit could help solve any logistical problems. The national Sudden Cardiac Death Taskforce has recommended that all senior inter-county players should be screened for Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS).

Sourced HoganStand.com: http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=69144
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ziggysego

Out of curiousity, who voted no and why?
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tyssam5

Here's a good article on this issue:
http://www.uchc.edu/ocomm/features/stories/stories06/feature_italianstudycardiacdeaths.html

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Upside:
"In 1982, Italy implemented a program to try and reduce SCDs by performing screening on all 12- to 35-year-olds who planned to participate in any strenuous competitive sport......
Initially young athletes were five times more likely to suffer from SCD than nonathletes. Now they are half as likely, suggesting that the program may benefit all young people"

Downside:
There is also concern about young athletes that will not be able to participate because of false findings.  "How many athletes were prevented from competitive athletics by the screening?" ...... "Who didn't need to be excluded and thus had an unnecessary lifestyle change?"
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Seems like the upside agrument wins for me.

Blue Boy

GAA to begin small-scale screening - Setanta.com

A GAA sub-committee has decided to begin a small-scale screening programme to test for Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) amongst small cross-section of intercounty players.

Campaigners for mass mandatory screening will be disappointed that the GAA's Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee has advised the Association's Management Committee to begin testing on a small scale. GAA chiefs will be advised to screen 600 hurlers and footballers across Senior and Minor level.

Both the FAI and IRFU screen their elite players and now the GAA will put in place precautions to alert doctors to those who might be susceptible to SADS.

The National Sudden Cardiac Death Taskforce believes that all senior intercounty players should be screened; however, there are two sides to this debate within international medicine.

Essentially, one side believes that screening should be mandatory across all elite sports people as saving even one life would be worth it, while the other camp says that one per cent of athletes will be told to give up their sport despite no guarantees that they will ever suffer from SADS.

A number of county boards, such as Kilkenny, have already screened their intercounty panels.

However, it is estimated that mandatory screening within the GAA arena would result in around 20 senior intercounty players being told to hang up their boots.

Blacksheep

Blacksheep - a reckless and unprincipled reprobate!

tyssam5

I can see the agrument against forcing people out of the game. But I don't see any argument about providing free screening, so people can at least know if there's a risk and decide for themselves.

SouthArmaghBandit

I'm surprised there's so many voting against!

Dinny Breen

There are certain criteria's set down for screening programmes, the link below will give you a better understanding..

http://www.gp-training.net/training/audit/screen.htm
#newbridgeornowhere

Flat Hedgehog

You see Ziggylo, when you do a bit of research the knee-jerk re-action isn't alway the right one. In fact it rarely is. Posters on here aren't stupid. That's why so many voted no.
Knowledge only brings fear.

ziggysego

Quote from: Flat Hedgehog on November 17, 2006, 04:58:07 PM
You see Ziggylo, when you do a bit of research the knee-jerk re-action isn't alway the right one. In fact it rarely is. Posters on here aren't stupid. That's why so many voted no.

You see Hedgehog, I didn't make any sort of judgement. I wanted this to also be a discussion, rather than just a voting thread.
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Flat Hedgehog

Don't you you see me!! :'(

Are you heading down on Sunday? Good luck!
Knowledge only brings fear.

Corner Back

I think the word "mandatory" is a bit misleading here. Whatever happens, I don't think that the GAA is going to be 'forcing' people to get screened. As "the gael" has pointed out so eloquently, Gaelic games are something players choose to play. No-one is depending on Gaelic games for a livelihood.

So people should put it in context - if 20 players out of 2000 were to have to consider giving up their amateur game, isn't that better than one of them dropping dead on Croke Park some day? And if, God forbid, that ever happens, imagine what the reaction would be. The country would beat lumps out of the GAA over it, saying they can't say they weren't warned and couldn't they have spent some of their millions to stop it happening.

So at least every inter-county senior team, considering the amount of pressure they put their bodies through, should be screened, with individuals having the right to opt out.

If the national Taskforce on Sudden Death recommended screening for all inter-county players, aren't they the experts, and shouldn't their word be crucial here?

I

ziggysego

Quote from: Flat Hedgehog on November 17, 2006, 05:09:32 PM
Are you heading down on Sunday? Good luck!

I hope too. I'm dosed with the cold today and feeling pretty shitty. Plus I've an assignment to hand in on Monday. All being well, I'll be there.
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PadraicHenryPearse

my friend died at 22 and a screening would havegiven him a better chance, i cannot see how anyone could be against it.not full proof.

down22

Difficult subject to address. While the screening program in Italy shows some good results, it is somewhat limited. The authors themselves admit that the scheme only picks up certain cardiac abnormalities (from memory, i think it is good at identifying structural problems with the heart such as cardiomyopathy) but it is poor at picking up rhythm disturbances (such as long QT syndrome) and other causes of sudden cardiac death. The issue is further complicated by the fact that these conditions are not fully understood. We don't know why some people who come through the screening with an 'all clear' get SAD and why some of those who have problems identified on screening never suffer any ill effects.

I'm really not sure what the answer to all this is. More needs to be done, but i'm not sure what exactly.