General health checks and screenings are often sold to the public with false promises. Instead of saving lives, they can lead to over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatments, potentially causing more harm than good for healthy individuals.

Many people believe that yearly health checks are a good way to stay healthy. However, some experts argue these check-ups can be harmful. They say the public is often told that finding diseases early saves lives and means easier treatment. For example, women are encouraged to get mammograms to find breast cancer early. But the evidence suggests that these screenings may not actually save lives. Instead, they can lead to over-diagnosis, where harmless conditions are found and treated as serious diseases. This can cause unnecessary anxiety, and people may undergo risky treatments they do not need. The real benefit of these general checks for healthy individuals is now being seriously questioned by some medical professionals.

Original Author: Peter C. Gøtzsche | Source: Brownstone Institute