Dr Kapadia, a vascular surgeon, recently spoke out about the limitations of “full-body check-up” packages. He said that many people misunderstand preventive healthcare. No number of tests will ever detect all the problems in your body. “A blood test alone is not enough to detect most problems. He explained that many patients arrive with a large number of reports from low-cost packages that include hundreds of tests. “We see many people saying’maine complete body check-up karwaya hai.’ They bring a folder jisme kuch 1,000 tests hain for Rs 999. They have not detected an ECG or echo. Consult your doctor before beginning any new routine. Why ‘100-test package’ can create false assuranceAccording to Dr Amit Saraf of Jupiter Hospital in Thane, the issue is the growing misconception that more testing equals better healthcare. “Yes, they do in many cases create a false feeling of security,” says Saraf. He explains that numbers cannot be used to assess health. Story continues below this advertisementAccording to Dr Saraf a person can have normal blood results and still have early heart disease, sleep-apnea or glaucoma progression, fatty liver or certain cancers. “Cheap packages of ‘100 tests’ often create the impression that more tests mean better healthcare,” says he. “In reality, preventive medicine is personalised and age-specific. It also takes into account risk factors.”
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Blood tests are just one part of prevention care. “We rely too heavily on blood testing alone,” says Dr Saraf. He explains that different serious conditions require completely different methods of detection. The only way to detect structural heart abnormalities is through an ECG or echocardiogram. Structural heart abnormalities may only be identified through an ECG or echocardiogram.”As physicians, we often see patients who feel reassured because their ‘master health check-up’ was normal, while symptoms or risk factors were overlooked,” says Dr Saraf.He emphasises that meaningful preventive care begins with understanding a patient’s lifestyle, family history, sleep patterns, stress levels, blood pressure, waist circumference, and symptoms, not just laboratory values.Story continues below this adWhy preventive healthcare is becoming increasingly commercialisedAccording to Dr Saraf, preventive medicine today is often being marketed more like a product than a personalised healthcare service. He says that large packages with flashy claims such as ‘500 parameters’ are easier for marketers to market than a thoughtful doctor consultation. “But preventive medication is not about volume; it’s about relevance.” He explains that not all people need the same investigations. The risk profiles of a healthy 25-year old and a diabetic smoker 55 years old are completely different and require different screening strategies. “The danger is that the marketing often promotes uniform tests for everyone,” says Saraf. This can lead to unnecessary stress, false positives and missed priorities. Dr Saraf also stresses that low-cost screening packages aren’t necessarily bad. They are more accessible and encourage people to be health-conscious. However, the problem arises when people start using these packages to replace proper medical evaluations. Consult your doctor before beginning any new routine.
