More women are undergoing breast removal surgeries after Angelina Jolie went public with her decision to do the same in 2013. The actress had both breasts removed because she discovered she had an increased genetic risk for breast cancer.
A study out of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York found that the number of women undergoing similar procedures doubled after Jolie's announcement, something researchers are calling the "Jolie Effect."
The study suggests that health care providers prepare for increases in treatment whenever a celebrity makes a public announcement like Jolie did. "If celebrities are going to act on genetic testing and announce their treatment choices, then we should get prepared on our end to assess public health impact.”
Source: Medical Xpress