Screening can also lead to harmful treatment.
Treatment of hyperlipidaemia with clofibrate several
decades ago provides a sobering example. Treatment of
the cholesterol count (a risk factor, rather than an illness
itself) inadvertently led to a 17% increase in mortality
among middle-aged men given the drug.2 This screening
misadventure cost the lives of more than 5000 men in the
USA alone.2 Because of these mishaps, reviews of
screening practices have recommended that clinicians be
more selective.