DIY health test kits for cancer bought off the shelf and conducted at home could do more harm than good; according to consumer group Which?. Home test health kits are widely available online and from high street chemists and are targeted at people who may have niggling health concerns and who want instant reassurance.
The kits claim to test for a very of ailments including bowel and prostate cancer; but experts warn that the kits can be misleading and offer false reassurance.
As part of a small study, Which? asked two health experts, Dr Danielle Freedman, and Dr Paul Singer, to examine a selection of home health test kits.
They studied the packaging, accompanying leaflets and websites. In addition, 64 members of the public also examined the kits, so that it could be determined whether the average person could use them correctly.
The kits examined include the Boots Home Bowel Test Kit at £12.25, which claims to help detect early signs of bowel cancer. The Selfcheck Prostate Home Test costing £15.99 claims to measure the amount of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) in the blood, which could be an early sign of prostate problems.
The findings revealed that some of the tests were misleading by omitting information that could affect test results. The prostate test failed to explain that a person's PSA levels may rise after sexual activity or vigorous exercise.
The Boots Bowel Test Kit did not explain how to collect a sample and neglected to advise users to avoid red meat for three days before the test, which could affect the results. The prostate kit also failed to obtain even half the blood needed to perform the test.
Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which? said: "Self-test health kits could be a useful tool, but the lack of clear information about how to use them could do more harm than good.”
Jessica Harris, senior health information officer at Cancer Research UK, agreed that using the kits could be detrimental for some people.
“They are not the same as organised, national screening programmes like those we have for breast, cervical and bowel cancer in the UK, which are known to save lives.”
Experts also expressed concerns that the home test kits could discourage people from visiting their GP.
Vicary-Smith said: "As your GP may well have to carry out their own tests to confirm a positive diagnosis anyway, you may be better off saving your money and going straight to your GP."
Home Health Test Kits Tested by Which?
- Bowel: Boots Home test kit, £12.25
- Prostate: Selfcheck Health Test, £15.99
- Cholesterol: Care Diagnostica Cholesterol Health Care Test, £9.99
- Blood Glucose: Boots home test kit, £12.25
- Urinary Tract Infection: Atlas Urinary Tract Test, £4.49
- Stomach Ulcer: Simplicity Stomach Ulcer Screening Test, £12.00
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