Incoprea Theory
Vol. XXXII · 89

Theory 59/Inversion

Screening Can Harm

The claim

Screening can produce net harm when overdiagnosis and false-positive cascades exceed the benefit of early treatment.

01Mechanism

Detecting indolent disease leads to treatment without benefit.

02Prediction

Net harm should appear where overdiagnosis is high.

03Refutation

Net benefit everywhere would remove the harm.