Doctors urged to stop 'over-treating'
Posted: 13 May 2015, 10:46Doctors urged to stop 'over-treating'
By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News
Doctors' leaders have launched a major campaign to stop medics "over-treating" their patients in ways that do not help and could even harm them.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, they suggest some patients are given pills or have tests they do not need by doctors who feel under pressure to act.
They argue patients should feel able to discuss whether there are simpler, safer options that are right for them.
But experts warn they must not change treatment without medical advice.
'Grown-up approach'
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) says there is growing evidence that pressure for doctors to "do something" at each consultation has led to patients sometimes receiving treatments that are of little or no value.
And the report suggests a culture of "more is better" means some individuals are being over-diagnosed - labelled with conditions that may in the end do them little harm.
Launching the Choosing Wisely campaign, experts are calling on medical organisations to identify five procedures each that should not be offered routinely or in some cases not at all.
These might include:
Pills for mild depression
Too many routine and unnecessary blood tests
Medicines for mildly raised blood pressure
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32703632
By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News
Doctors' leaders have launched a major campaign to stop medics "over-treating" their patients in ways that do not help and could even harm them.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, they suggest some patients are given pills or have tests they do not need by doctors who feel under pressure to act.
They argue patients should feel able to discuss whether there are simpler, safer options that are right for them.
But experts warn they must not change treatment without medical advice.
'Grown-up approach'
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) says there is growing evidence that pressure for doctors to "do something" at each consultation has led to patients sometimes receiving treatments that are of little or no value.
And the report suggests a culture of "more is better" means some individuals are being over-diagnosed - labelled with conditions that may in the end do them little harm.
Launching the Choosing Wisely campaign, experts are calling on medical organisations to identify five procedures each that should not be offered routinely or in some cases not at all.
These might include:
Pills for mild depression
Too many routine and unnecessary blood tests
Medicines for mildly raised blood pressure
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32703632