On social media, the promise of taking control of your health is just a click away, sold by influencers who often fail to mention the hidden psychological and physical dangers of the medical tests they promote. Experts are now warning that a market for direct-to-consumer checks, driven by persuasive online narratives, is creating a generation of the “worried well” and exposing people to unnecessary risks.
The High Cost of Finding ‘Nothing’
At the heart of the concern is the risk of over-diagnosis, where tests pick up anomalies in healthy individuals that would never have caused harm, yet lead to a cascade of anxiety and invasive treatments. Dr Brooke Nickel of the University of Sydney’s Sydney Health Literacy Lab, which is leading a campaign against this misinformation, states that the people promoting these tests frame information as power, but omit the significant downsides. The campaign, spearheaded by Professor Kirsten McCaffery and Associate Professor Carissa Bonner, targets three tests in particular: full-body MRI scans, testosterone level checks, and the Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) “egg-timer” test.
The psychological toll is a recurring theme. For asymptomatic individuals, a diagnosis of a very early-stage disease can cause significant anxiety, ranging from anticipatory worry to panic attacks, even when the finding is likely to be benign. This mental burden is compounded by the potential for unnecessary physical interventions, including major surgery or radiotherapy, for conditions that may have remained harmless.
Scans Sold on Celebrity Endorsement
Full-body MRI scans, promoted by figures like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, are marketed as a holistic check-up and a tool for early cancer detection. Wellness clinics globally offer them, often for over $800. However, leading medical bodies, including the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, specifically advise against them for healthy people due to a lack of evidence they improve health outcomes.
The primary danger is the “incidental finding”. For someone with no symptoms, a scan can detect small cysts or benign tumours that necessitate further investigation, creating false alarms and anxiety. In the UK, doctors warn that commercial full-body scans are placing an additional strain on the NHS, leading to unnecessary follow-up tests and referrals. While MRI scans themselves are generally safe, using magnetic fields rather than radiation, the downstream consequences of investigating incidental findings present the real risk.
The Fertility Test That Preys on Vulnerability
Perhaps the most emotionally charged promotion surrounds the AMH test, sold as a measure of a woman’s egg count and fertility timeline. Dr Nickel says it “preys on the vulnerability of women” of reproductive age, as it cannot accurately predict a healthy woman’s chances of conceiving naturally. While useful in specific IVF contexts, it is not a reliable fertility indicator for the general population.
The harm is profoundly psychological, creating a false sense of urgency or security. A woman told she has a low ovarian reserve may face distress and feel pressured into expensive elective egg-freezing or IVF without clinical need. Conversely, a normal result might falsely reassure her while other underlying fertility issues go unchecked. In the UK, home-test kits involving a finger-prick sample are readily available, but the business model often leaves individuals to interpret complex results alone; researchers have seen cases of young women misreading results and believing themselves to be completely infertile.
A Gateway to Risky Supplements
For men, testosterone tests are frequently marketed as a way to check for an “optimal” level, a concept closely tied to promoting testosterone supplementation. For healthy men who do not need it, this supplementation carries documented risks, including blood clotting, impaired fertility, and potential links to heart conditions.
The research briefing details further side effects: oily skin, acne, hair loss, and increased haematocrit (thickening of the blood), which can raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and clots. There are also risks of prostatic enlargement and uncovering existing prostate or male breast cancers. Furthermore, the body’s own testosterone production can be suppressed for up to two years after using these preparations. Experts note that factors like weight management, good sleep, and exercise can improve levels naturally, without the risks of clinical-grade supplements.
Exploiting the Regulatory ‘Wild West’
Access to these tests has been transformed by social media and direct-to-consumer sales models. Dr Nickel describes social media as “like the wild, wild west,” where influencers and companies exploit loopholes to bypass the traditional gatekeeper role of health professionals. This creates an environment where tests are marketed directly to consumers based on perceived need rather than medical necessity.
The global DTC testing market is booming, and the UK, with its highly digitalised population and NHS promotion of telemedicine, is a key growth area. However, the regulatory landscape is fragmented. While supplements are regulated as food products under the Food Safety Act 1990 and cannot make medicinal claims, enforcement online is challenging. For testing kits, the UK lacks a comprehensive legal structure specifically for complex gene tests, though a range of authorities and regulations apply. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is developing a new regime for medical devices, which include these tests.
A critical issue is the lack of oversight on claims and interpretation. A University of Sydney-led study found that 87.1% of social media posts about such tests mentioned benefits, while less than 15% mentioned any harms, and only 6% noted overdiagnosis. Experts warn that this leaves the NHS to manage the fallout from abnormal results and places the entire onus on individuals to navigate misleading information. The Sydney campaign aims to counter this by releasing evidence-based videos and partnering with medical colleges to provide clear information, highlighting the gap between empowering marketing and the potential for real harm.
