Private health firms offer 'misleading' blood tests, probe finds

2022-10-27

Private health firms offer ‘misleading’ blood tests that can give patients ‘abnormal results’, probe finds

Many are not backed up by evidence, according to the British Medical Journal
Patients are promised that such tests will help them take control of their health
But the BMJ referred two companies to the UK Advertising Standards Authority

Dozens of UK companies are offering ‘misleading’ private blood tests for a range of health conditions, an investigation has found.

Many of the tests are not backed up by evidence and leave an already overworked NHS to follow up ‘abnormal results’, according to the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Patients are promised such tests will help them take control of their health and spot problems early.

But the BMJ referred two companies to the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) including My Baby Company – which offers non-invasive prenatal tests for pregnant women that offered an accuracy rate of more than 99 per cent – at £299.

The company was referred to the ASA’s compliance team.

Dozens of UK companies are offering ‘misleading’ private blood tests for a range of health conditions, an investigation has found (stock image)

The BMJ also complained about the Health Check Shop, which sells prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests, which advertised an accuracy of more than 96 per cent, for £19.99. The ASA is currently assessing the claim.

Dr John Rees, of JR Biomedical, the company behind the Health Check Shop, said they ‘constantly review and update’ their website.

The BMJ also reported that tests were promoted by the NHS Patient Access app, despite them being discouraged by the health service.

Shaun O’Hanlon at EMIS, the company behind the app, said the services listed had been selected after a thorough review.

An NHS spokesman said: ‘People should use trusted sources of information, such as the NHS website.’

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