--- title: FDA Mammogram Rule Would Notify Women with Dense Breast Tissue description: The FDA's first mammography regulation update in 20 years would require providers to notify women with dense breast tissue. canonical: https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-03-28T12:27:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:03:55.482Z article:section: Health og:title: The FDA Wants to Change Mammogram Regulations for the First Time in Two Decades og:description: Women with dense breast tissue would have to be notified og:url: https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt761999a018e54375/6989477422fb85000de2803a/mammogram-regulations.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Radiology center og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The FDA Wants to Change Mammogram Regulations for the First Time in Two Decades twitter:description: Women with dense breast tissue would have to be notified twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt761999a018e54375/6989477422fb85000de2803a/mammogram-regulations.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The FDA Wants to Change Mammogram Regulations for the First Time in Two Decades > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=500be69d-d2a6-477b-965c-5050e22227bd&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=500be69d-d2a6-477b-965c-5050e22227bd&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=500be69d-d2a6-477b-965c-5050e22227bd&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=500be69d-d2a6-477b-965c-5050e22227bd&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: These 6 Habits May Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer [Watch (HLS stream): These 6 Habits May Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fr8mHjVO.m3u8) (2:21)  _Published 2018-10-01. Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the U.S., affecting almost 85 of every 100,000 Americans, according to recent data from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)._  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Mar 28, 2019 12:27 PM UTC  A radiologist looks at the results of mammograms in France. A radiologist looks at the results of mammograms in France. BSIP—UIG via Getty Images  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Mar 28, 2019 12:27 PM UTC The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to require mammogram providers to tell women if they have a common risk factor for breast cancer. The proposal, released Wednesday, would be the FDA’s first update to mammography regulations in more than 20 years, according to [a statement from the agency](https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm634509.htm). Among other proposed changes, the policy would require mammography providers to inform patients who undergo the [breast cancer screening](http://time.com/4629245/who-needs-a-mammogram-for-breast-cancer-guidelines/) test if they have dense breast tissue, which may both [warp the results of a mammogram](http://time.com/3612811/3d-mammograms-cancer/) by obscuring signs of cancer, and increase the risk of developing breast cancer in the first place. That information would be delivered in a post-screening summary letter, along with guidance for determining future medical care, the statement says. Providers [in almost 40 states](https://densebreast-info.org/legislation.aspx) are required to give patients some information about breast density — though not necessarily about their own personal risk — but the FDA’s rule would codify such policies at a national level. While the FDA called the policy part of an effort to “modernize breast cancer screening and help empower patients,” it is likely to be met with pushback from some doctors. More than half of women over 40 have dense breasts, according to the FDA, and not everyone with this common condition [has the same risk of cancer](http://time.com/3872815/breast-cancer-screening-dense-breasts/), research has shown. The additional information could, in theory, lead to unnecessary testing and anxiety for some women who are not at high risk — a criticism often leveled against mammography in general, which [some experts argue](http://time.com/5050978/mammogram-breast-cancer/) can lead to over-diagnosis without preventing many cancer deaths. In its statement, however, the FDA maintained that the proposed regulations “will enhance our oversight of mammography facilities, including in the key area of enforcement and patient communication,” according to Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. The plan would also allow the FDA to notify patients if their mammography center did not meet quality standards, tighten equipment and record-keeping requirements for providers and make clearer to providers when a patient has a known cancer diagnosis. The proposal must be open to public comment for 90 days before being finalized. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/"},"headline":"The FDA Wants to Change Mammogram Regulations for the First Time in Two Decades","datePublished":"2019-03-28T12:27:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:03:55.482Z","description":"Women with dense breast tissue would have to be notified","url":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/","keywords":["Cancer","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt761999a018e54375/6989477422fb85000de2803a/mammogram-regulations.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt761999a018e54375/6989477422fb85000de2803a/mammogram-regulations.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Radiology center","caption":"Radiology center","creditText":"BSIP—UIG via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/cancer/","name":"Cancer"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/","name":"The FDA Wants to Change Mammogram Regulations for the First Time in Two Decades"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"These 6 Habits May Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer","description":"Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the U.S., affecting almost 85 of every 100,000 Americans, according to recent data from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Fr8mHjVO/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-10-01T18:41:43.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fr8mHjVO.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/","duration":"PT2M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5560349/fda-mammograms-dense-breast-tissue/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```