According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), some shop-bought at-home tests may be “inaccurate and unsuitable for use”. Though the concept of home health tests is nothing new – DIY pregnancy tests have been publicly available since the ’70s, for instance – their variety and popularity have ballooned in recent years. There were, of course, lateral flow tests during Covid. But consumers are also offered menopause, bowel cancer, prostate, sperm, STI, vitamin deficiency, stomach ulcer, and thyroid tests from private companies, to name but a few.University of Birmingham researcher Dr Clare Davenport said, “The wide range of off-the-shelf tests now available to the public are not endorsed by the NHS and evidence for their benefit is lacking. This is in contrast to well-established self-tests, such as pregnancy tests.“We are worried that consumers concerned about their health and tempted by the convenience of buying a test over the counter may be harmed if they use these tests in the wrong way.” Accuracy claims might not be transparent According to the BMJ, 60% of the 30 home tests purchased and assessed by the University of Birmingham in 2022 had at least one “high risk usability problem”. They could only obtain study reports for 12 of these tests, even though a majority said they had a minimum 98% accuracy rate on the packet. Even when these studies were available, “many lacked robust data”. Research for a menopause test, for instance, “included a majority of women whose last menstrual period was within two months and therefore did not fit the criteria for menopause”.Unclear instructions, unrealistic advice (like asking consumers to freeze urine samples to −20°C), a lack of information about who could take the tests, and equipment issues were also relatively common.Then, there’s the potential knock-on effect on the NHS. Even once negative results had been obtained, instructions in almost half of the 30 tests suggested users see a GP. Bernie Croal, president of the Royal College of Pathologists, said, “There are significant risks to patients when poor quality tests are carried out inappropriately, with both false reassurance and unnecessary consequences for the NHS to repeat tests or take additional action”. And Kristien Boelaert, professor of endocrinology at the University of Birmingham, added: “I actually think it’s dangerous. I would like there to be central UK-wide regulation… that prevents these things from coming on the market.“I think the biggest potential harm is a false reassurance that, if it’s not positive, everything is fine.” Some experts are calling for legal change None of the issues the BMJ highlighted are agaisnt the law. But some, like the Royal Society of General Practitioners, have called for greater transparency. They have suggested that accuracy claims on self-test kits should be “evidence-based, properly evaluated and potentially labelled with a ‘quality mark’ if found to be reliable”. And Professor Jon Deeks of the University of Birmingham said, “Current regulations for the use of self-testing kits in a commercial setting are not adequately protecting consumers. Several of the self-test manufacturers refused to provide us with reports of their studies, which support their claims, stating that they were ‘commercially confidential’.“Legally, they do not need to share this information. However, for all matters of our health, it really is important that the evidence upon which health decisions are made is available and can be scrutinised.”Related…It Turns Out Venting Has A Huge Impact On Your Mental HealthPsychologist Shares The Surprising Benefits of ‘Bed Rotting’Children Hospitalised Due To London Measles Outbreak, UKHSA Warns HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public) Read More