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June 4th, 2010
02:02 PM ET
'Sex and the City' hazardous to women's health?
By Elizabeth Cohen You may find the new “Sex and the City” movie entertaining – but don’t turn to it for medical advice. In the movie, Samantha Jones, the eldest of the famous foursome of gals, takes hormones. “I’m leading the way through the menopause maze,” she tells her friends. “I’ve tricked my body into thinking it’s younger…No hot flashes. No mood swings. And my sex drive is right back to where it was.” The medical hiccup: Samantha had breast cancer, and doctors generally don’t recommend hormone therapy for breast cancer survivors, since some studies show it increases the chances of having a recurrence. “Most doctors that I know would do everything possible to avoid use of hormone replacement therapy in a woman with a past history of breast cancer,” says Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. Some breast cancer survivors are upset about the movie. “It drives me crazy that some woman out there might think this is OK,” says Courtney Bugler, a breast cancer survivor and executive director of the Young Survival Coalition. Candice McDonough, a spokeswoman for New Line Cinema, which produced “Sex and the City 2,” declined to comment. The National Cancer Institute and Susan G. Komen for the Cure have advice for breast cancer survivors about hormone replacement therapy. With reporting by CNN's Sabriya Rice and John Bonifield
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  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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If anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) looked to 'Samantha Jones' for sage medical advice, they'd be out of their frickin' mind. Seriously.
A movie should be taken as it should be taken... as a movie. Why anyone would take such advice of any kind from a movie is beyond me.
It is a movie for laughs and entertainment, not a PSA.
I'm confused, this was a fictional movie...right??? I "get it" but until now I didn't even go there. Can't we just laugh for once at the antics women think they have to go through to stay young without getting all serious. Lighten up world.
I can't believe people are actually upset about this. What kind of an idiot would obtain medical advice from a MOVIE?! The Young Survival Coalition needs to credit women, especially breast cancer survivors, with a little more intelligence. It's the equivalent of slamming "Jack & The Beanstalk" because we don't want people going out and wasting their money on magic beans. Sheesh.
Well, most women will believe anything. In fact, I just told my wife that I was going to stay longer after work because of a new product release. But what she doesn't know is I will meet a nice, young lady for probably the best sex ever. She just said..."ok, hun, don't work too hard... I'll be waiting when I get home", and I replied, "K, love you, babe".
Wish me luck, Elizabeth.
It's just a movie. I seriously hope that no one is taking serious medical advice from it.
Wow. It's a MOVIE, a comedy at that. I think most people would know better than to take medical advice from SATC!
Please, no more Sara Jesica Parker. Please.
Well, I'm betting that most wouldn't depend on SATC2 for medical advice anyways; I'm a fan of the series, but I do recall that rarely was condom use mentioned and only 2 of the ladies I believe were tested for HIV.
This does sound like bad advice. I know someone who had breast cancer before menopause (fortunately this was over 20 years ago and she hasn't had a recurrence), and when she went through menopause, her doctors said she shouldn't take HRT.
At least people are talking about stuff like this and it is no longer taboo! Breat cancer and menopause, not so long ago, where things that people didn't talk about...let alone in super popular chick flicks. Let's embrace that!!
If people are actually getting medical advice from Sex and the City, we have a larger issue on our hands.
THIS IS A MOVIE PEOPLE!!!! It is not real!
Should we be upset that Superman climbs buildings and shows kids that you can climb a building too!
Come one if you can not go to a movie and see it as a movie and not advice then skip the movie and go see a shrink!
Ms. Cohen,
Now you see what happens when people without the correct medical training go out to the public and make general medical advice. What the makers of this movie did is not all that different from what you have done many times in the past. I am all for you writing medical articles, but if you are going to give medical advice to patients, you need to consult true experts. While your masters of public health does mean that you are entitled to do some things that others without your degree should not, your MPH does not entitle you to give out medical advice or to practice medicine in general. Doing so puts patients' health and even their lives in jeopardy and also undermines that hard work that goes into being a licensed medical professional. If you want to give out such advice and practice medicine, go back to school and get your training the legitimate way. Otherwise, you are no different than Sex in the City.
Any breast cancer survivor who would take medical advice from SATC (this is is the movies, folks!) has more problems than cancer.
The reality is that Americans have, as usual, overrated the risk. Not taking hormones most definitely ages you faster. I'll trade a slight risk of breast cancer to have a healthy sex drive, better skin, no loss of bone density, good blood pressure and an overall younger feeling. I manage my other risk factors really well by working out, staying slim, and eating well. It should be an individual decision.
Being overweight, eating lots of red meat, and not exercising is a greater risk than taking estrogen.
I'm not at all surprised by this. The SATC women are completely divorced from reality. I certainly don't look to these 4 broads for medical information. Actually, they may be perfect contrarians. Whatever they do, do the opposite.
i understand the concern but it is entertainment and nothing more.
Its a movie..... your not suppose to rely on it for medical advice. Other than seeing a fun TV series and great movies, the most you should actually look at are "Samantha's" sex positions. It's like every other movie! If people are stupid enough to take hormones without talking to their doctor, then they are just plain dumb!
Amazing let the bashing begin. They where not pushing synthetic hormones like the doctors do. She was using holistic items to replace her hormones. There is a large difference. The "studies" where done on doctor regulated synthetic hormones not on holistic items. Anything that is natural is always knocked by the medical profession.
Stupid TV series. I'm sure the movie was just as dumb. It's not smart to play around with hormones, the only safe way to even them is through the skin creams you get at health food stores. Better to adjust societal thinking about natural aging instead of setting women up for a horrific hormone-caused death by cancer!
Two things. Do we really live in a society where we get all of our medical information from movies and television? Have we really become that stupid as society? Second, let us assume we are that stupid, there is a pretty good chance we are going to mention the fact that we had breast cancer to our doctor, who would be prescribing said hormones. Hopefully, said doctor would have gone to medical school and would know not to prescribe the hormones, no matter what Samantha said, right? She isn't like the Surgeon General or anything right?
C'mon people... it's a movie, not a medical journal! who actually takes medical advice from a work of fiction?
It's a movie people. not a real life situation.
Samantha's (Kim Catrail Roll) is not a real person that had breast cancer.
any thing said in a movie should be taken as science fiction. Fact.
just that simple. if it was based on a true story then still take it as science fiction. watch the movie laugh and move on. it is not real life. nor. and if you take facts from a novel turned movie then... Harry Potter See you at Hogwarts next year.
uh... it's a movie... get over it.
If people depend on this movie for medical advice they have bigger problems than hormones could ever harm or help.
If you turn to a movie for medical advice, you derserve what happens to you.
People need to lighten up!! this movie is being taken waaaay too seriously!! Its FICTION!!! if people are going to do something because they saw it on a sex and the city movie, then that's at their own risk...it's not the producers responsibility to educate on breast cancer...... it's the person who is affected by breast cancer's responsibility to take care of their own health.... get a grip American and take the stick out of your a@@ !!!
I believe your information is misleading. Samatha Jones was taking hormonal replacement therapy, which were supplements and do not contain actual hormones. The supplements contain herbs, vitamins and minerals, which are available over the counter. Most physicans will not prescribe supplements, but can recommend for those women in menopause who are at risk.
good god people get a life...embrace the fact that you survived cancer and go live your life key word YOUR life and stop worrying about what a movie is saying to someone you dont even know! chill out! thats why people go to the dr for that stuff.
I feel certain that anyone (myself) having breast cancer is going to consult a doctor prior to hormone therapy. This whole 'Outraged Blame Game' is so old. Hate to be the voice, but even the Kristin Steward 'rape' comment was over blown. These 'groups' or 'organizations' that feel the need to speak up a be-little others make me dislike what they are about even more!
I would really hope that the average woman knows better than to take medical advice from SATC.
Well, Jim Smithers, the lady may be young but she's hardly 'nice.'
But back to the topic, all this cluck-clucking about the hormone replacement and the bad advice from Samantha is a blatant example of the 'nanny state'–moralizing, lecturing, telling us how to tie our shoelaces, and worrying that we are so stupid we need an expert to guide us through our ignorance so we won't take medical advice from a fictional character whose very schtick is being far out.
Give me a break. Stop taking care of me and take care of yourself. I mean you, watchdog agencies, and you, medical reporters.
Gees...people are reading way too much into movies. I thought Sex and the City 2 was a great movie and don't understand the criticism it is getting. It is definitely a chic flic, but it's funny and a great way to spend a couple hours with friends. Samantha's character was fighting age and popped whatever pill promised her youth. Many women really do take hormones, regardless of how they effect their health. I can promise you there are many women who had had breast cancer yet take hormone pills to fight menopause symptoms. Is that good? Probably not, but it happens. Never once did I think "I need to pop a bunch of hormone pills because Samantha did in Sex and the City 2". I laughed along with everyone else in the theater when the airport confiscated the pills, leaving poor Samantha to deal with her languishing libido.
Debbie- Did you know that the makers of those Hormones- Wyeth and now Pfizer had their senior scientist disciplined for making up data? Check the federal register. Hormones are FDA approved for short term hot flashes and should only be taken if necessary for the shortest duration- THEY DO NOT DO THE THINGS YOU SAY. THEY DO NOT HAVE A CARDIO BENEFIT and may increase the risk of Alzheimer's. Since hormone use is down- so is Breast Cancer. Do you work for these companies? Or did you just buy into their massive fraud on women.
Although it is just a movie- this is a common misconception that was set up by Wyeth intentionally to deceive women on a grand scale. I do not want any woman to further believe this fraud by any mention of it- movie or otherwise.
Wow, does that mean that since I saw Superman I can't fly? And here I ws soaring through the skies thinking I was a superhero or something! Glad I didn't read this story while I was in the air or I may have fallen from the sky and hurt myself!
Anyone that would take this as serious medical advice would first have to speak with a doctor to get the hormones, right? Then the doctor could try not to laugh in their face when they explain where they got their medical advice.
you mean if i eat spinach, i will not look like the hulk, bcs it was just a tv show
Dear Cnn,
Please remove this article as it interferes with evolution. People who use SATC for medical advice should not pass on their genes.
That's OK, Mr. Smithers, because your wife just wants to make sure you're going to come home late. She's getting it on with a young hunk who appreciates her.
is there no such thing as FICTION anymore???...people are taking everything at face value and way out of proportion these days...is there no such thing as common sense anymore???.......it's pathetic....
Regarding all the comments stating that "it's just a movie"...you completely underestimate the idiocy of the public. Sure YOU get that it's just fiction, but guess what? You are in the minority. People are, always have been, and always will be stupid. So, an article reminding people to NOT take medical advice from a movie is indeed necessary.
Come on! Those scenes were so obviously tongue in cheek. Geesh.
Next they'll be telling me Superman can't really fly so I shouldn't try it.
*rolls eyes*
It is just a movie not a manual! Get over it! It is just supposed to be fun not a documentary or an sample of real life! Geez!
I am a physician and advise women daily on HRT. Although we would like to think people don't get their medical advice from movies, the reality is that they DO. In my practice I have to fight the ideas people develop from commercials, sitcoms, the internet, and yes, movies, every day. I can't just say "lighten up" to patients or tell them they "deserve" what they get for developing such ideas (as some people who have commented would like them to do).
The decision to take HRT is an individual one and must take into account each woman's health status and risk. It does NOT necessarilly make a woman have a better bone density, better sex drive or better skin (as "Debbie" claims in earlier comments). Nor is it absolutey contraindicated in a woman who has had breast cancer, although generally this is the case.
People ... and the media ... get over this franchise/tvshow/movie!!! It's fiction, clearly from the reviews FAR from relevant any longer, and it's stars are only doing the sequel because of money!
(“It drives me crazy that some woman out there might think this is OK,” says Courtney Bugler, a breast cancer survivor and executive director of the Young Survival Coalition.)
Really? I'm fairly certain that breast cancer patients and survivors alike would probably not take medical advice from sex and the city and that doctors will not be recommending hormone therapy for menopause if it isn't safe. How many times have we seen things done in movies that are not safe (CPR for example). A movie is a movie, leave it at that!
This lady needs to get a grip. It's a movie. If someone is dumb enough to follow the advice of a fictional character without seeking advice from their doctor then WOW! How many men did Samantha have meaningless sex with throughout the course of this show? How many cocktails were consumed, etc. You can disect anything and complain about it if you want to? Or else you could watch the movie and have a good time. My concern for this woman is not breast cancer, but that she's going to have a break down from being an overeactive, uptight, fun-hater. Next time get a documentary if you want facts.
A lot of people are expressing their disbelief that some may take medical advice from a movie. Yet how is this any different from the multitudes who look to lunatic Suzanne Somers for medical advice? She is a breast cancer survivor and an Oprah-certified proponent of the quackery known as bioidentical hormones.
My mother got breast cancer from taking hormones this is very wrong