Safeguards urged over private medical tests.

(From Yorkshire Post)

The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges said they were concerned that individuals were being exploited by misleading advertising for private screening.They say many of the procedures on offer are unreliable and inaccurate and in some cases people taking the tests are being given false reassurance.The organisations have called for a strengthening of marketing rules for health screening to ensure that advertising is "factual" and "balanced".These safeguards would require all marketing material to include information on the risks and limitations of tests, the implications of the results and any follow up …