Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., the chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said on Tuesday he will hold hearings to get more information about the study and to hear from its critics.

    "Breast cancer is a preventable and treatable disease if it is detected early but we don't want to cause other health problems in the process," said Pallone. "Providers and patients need to understand the risks of both screening and not screening so that they can make a balanced decision."

    For decades, the standard recommendation for women age 40 and over has been to have a screening mammogram every year.  The new report says that having this procedure done on an annual basis might cause more harm than do good for women under the age of 50.  Exposure to radiation, false alarms and unnecessary biopsies are among the downsides, according to the study.

     Critics argue however that cases of breast cancer could go undetected with the less frequent testing.

     "We should try to minimize the confusion people have about what is best for their health," Pallone said. "And we should be cognizant that these studies also have an impact on what insurance will cover. This hearing will increase everyone's understanding of the issue."

  
     Pallone said the hearing will be held early next month.