Surplus of medical self-tests?

On Tuesday, 29 April, I switched on the television and saw a clip from Jinek about self-testing. There were two programme makers from Radar invited and a doctor to point out the dangers of self-testing.

Sensation TV on Jinek about medical self-testing

And of course the script was again as so often. The GP is good and the druggist or other self-test seller is an unscientific money-grubber. First of all, it is quite true that measuring is very often not knowing. This is even more so when no expert is involved who interprets results properly and links test results to a comprehensive intake. In this respect, the table guests certainly have a point. But what they totally overlook is why there is a real need for these tests.

GP does not help

In fact, during my consultations I speak to many people who have simply gone to their GP, felt they were not taken seriously and where the doctor refused to do further tests because of high costs and too little medical need. Of course, many people who were not helped in the regular medical world then go on to look further. Besides, there are also healthy people who want to do tests because of optimisation and not because they have complaints. And when there is high demand for something then supply will follow, as will the self-tests mentioned here, many of which are indeed not as useful as they may seem.

Difference between lifestyle and medical

The solution to this could be the creation of a committee to scrutinise the tests and give independent advice on them. And this should be a committee with a good mix of experts in which complementary specialisms are also represented. Otherwise, you get a doctor's opinion on a 'leaky gut' test who has absolutely no grasp of this as with Jinek this time. So there needs to be more control and selection to better regulate the sale of self-tests. There should also be a clear distinction between tests that are medical in nature and tests that can be used to check results of your diet and lifestyle improvement. Banning all self-testing is washing the baby out with the bathwater and offering people the GP as their only option is not a solution either. So again, I found the item far too one-sided and short-sighted.