I often take mainstream media to task for blindly reporting the benefits of evidence-bereft screening tests. Now it’s time for some kudos for some responsible journalism:

Experts’ concerns revolve around two components of the traditional checkup: the comprehensive physical exam and an extensive battery of tests checking a person’s blood, urine, thyroid and heart. (A third component, an updated patient history, hasn’t prompted the same scrutiny.)

“There is very little evidence, if any, that doing [comprehensive] exams yearly on patients without symptoms is good for anything,” said Dr. Ned Calonge, chairman of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which does not endorse yearly physicals.

(via Schwitzer)