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BMA warns against unnecessary screening tests in private sector

BMJ 2005; 331 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.331.7515.475-b (Published 01 September 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;331:475

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  1. Lynn Eaton
  1. London

    Patients may be putting themselves at unnecessary risk—with very little benefit to their health—by opting to undergo scans and genetic tests that are offered to them as part of a screening programme by private sector healthcare organisations.

    That is the warning of a briefing paper by the BMA's Board of Science, which fears that many people are not told of the potential risks before undergoing the tests, such as whole body magnetic resonance imaging or the prostate specific antigen test for prostate cancer. It is calling on the government to address the growing problem of …

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