US executive heart screening programmes violate “do not harm” rule, say medics

US “executive screening programmes” offer expensive cardiovascular testing even though the tests are not justified and often not covered by insurance, according to a report published in JAMA Internal Medicine.1

Leading US medical centres offer “executive screening” at prices ranging from $995 (£760; €901) to $25 000 to wealthy people who can pay out of pocket for tests not covered by insurance. Professional organisations usually do not recommend the tests for asymptomatic people and there is no evidence they reduce deaths from heart disease.

Not only is this bad medicine but …