BRITAIN: Costly health screening tests provided by private companies may cause more harm than good, doctors in Britain have warned.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said patients may be wasting their time and money by paying for tests such as whole body CT scans and cancer screening. It warned that screening of this nature was diverting scarce NHS resources away from where it was most needed.
The BMA's report - Population Screening and Genetic Testing - came as the private health screening market continued to grow. Last year an estimated £65 million (€96 million) was spent on private screening in Britain. Although patients may pay for the initial screening, if a potential problem is discovered, the NHS picks up the bill for further tests.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's head of science and ethics, said often private tests picked up something that would never develop into a major health concern. This could result in invasive tests, serious surgery and increased anxiety for patients.
She said: "We want the public to be extremely wary of unregulated screening.We must make sure that screening is of a high quality and that patients are given all the appropriate advice before they decide to participate.
"After they receive positive results, it is essential that people have appropriate support. This is often lacking when screening is haphazard and not part of a proper screening programme." - (PA)