ABSTRACT
In every treatment the benefits of a recommended medication must clearly surpass the possible side effects and risks. The costs of a regimen must be in reasonable relation to the benefits which can be expected. This principle is even more important if a preventive long-term treatment is given to healthy women who may, however, be at risk for certain diseases which could possibly be avoided by interventional medicopharmacologic measures. Innumerable variables influence the conditions of a disease, its prevention and treatment, and these will, in addition, vary individually and by country and region. This is why an answer to any question concerning risks and benefits is so difficult. Many attempts have been made to critically address the problem to an exact as possible analysis using mathematical tools, with the aim of making physicians’ recommendations more
scientific, which so far have mainly been subjective and empirical. After all, the very nature of medical activity comprises the evaluation of the risk and benefits of a treatment where the physican acts as an arbitrator for his/her patient.
