Regular health checks are ineffective

...The current study finds that regular health checks are ineffective. It robustly shows evidence of little effect. It remains possible that targeted health checks might offer some benefit. This study looks at health checks in well people only, and initiatives that are focused on particular population groups with identifiable risk factors and conditions could possibly be effective, but evidence of this is needed. The history of health promotion through routine health checks has been one of glorious failure, but generations of well meaning clinicians and public health physicians struggle to allow themselves to believe it. We need to reinforce the message lest some enthusiast reinvent the health check in another guise. Policy should be based on evidence of wellbeing, rather than on well meant good intentions. Mehr