>Wouldn't that depend on whether the test was harmful? This is a huge topic, for which this forum is too small a place to properly expound on it, but the answe

>Wouldn't that depend on whether the test was harmful? This is a huge topic, for which this forum is too small a place to properly expound on it, but the answer to your question here is a resounding NO! The risk of the test procedure itself is typically not actually the main concern. The real risk has to do with inducing additional unnecessary testing, treatments, and side effects, costs, and psychological distress. In addition, you can cause profound nocebo effects, perceptions, and negative behavior changes in the "harmless" test-intervention group. You'd likely be surprised how negative an outcome this can actually be on average. The decision to add a screening test to routine procedures is NOT a light one.