Letter: Concerns about unnecessary screening tests

I am a local physician writing to express concern about a growing issue I am seeing in my clinic: an increasing number of patients presenting after undergoing costly and medically unnecessary screening tests marketed directly to the public. 

While preventive care is an essential part of good medicine, not all screening tests are beneficial for all people. The screenings being promoted are generally not medically indicated for the average, asymptomatic individual, except in specific, well-defined clinical situations. When tests are used outside of evidence-based guidelines, they can do more harm than good.

I am seeing patients who have spent substantial amounts of money on these tests only to be told that “something may be wrong,” without any clear explanation of what that means or how serious it may be. This often leads to unnecessary fear, anxiety and confusion. Patients then come to their primary care provider distressed and worried, requiring additional visits and follow-up testing to clarify results that may never have needed to be obtained in the first place.

In addition to the emotional toll, there is a financial burden. These screenings are frequently expensive and not covered by insurance, placing undue strain on patients  particularly older adults on fixed incomes — without clear medical benefit.

I strongly encourage members of our community who are concerned about their health to seek care through a legitimate medical clinic or health care provider. In a clinical setting, patients can discuss their individual risk factors, ask questions and receive appropriate, evidence-based screening tailored to their personal medical history.

Preventive medicine works best when it is guided by science, context and a trusted patient-provider relationship — not fear-based marketing. My hope is that greater awareness will help patients make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary tests that can ultimately cause more harm than good.