A government health adviser has criticised an NHS calculator saying the science behind it is “ridiculous”. Dr Ben Goldacre, who has just been appointed by the health secretary as chairman of the new Health Tech Advisory Board, suggested the test would needlessly frighten millions of healthy people. He said the online quiz, offered by Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS website, was a “poorly executed gimmick” which would heap pressure on private GPs by instructing everyone over the age of 30 to demand cholesterol checks.
A government health adviser has criticised an NHS calculator saying the science behind it is “ridiculous”. Dr Ben Goldacre, who has just been appointed by the health secretary as chairman of the new Health Tech Advisory Board, suggested the test would needlessly frighten millions of healthy people. He said the online quiz, offered by Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS website, was a “poorly executed gimmick” which would heap pressure on private GPs by instructing everyone over the age of 30 to demand cholesterol checks.
PHE says almost two million people have completed the quiz, which found that 80% had a heart age older than their current real age. However, Dr Goldacre is among a number of doctors questioning the accuracy of their methods. The online tool asks individuals aged 30 and over a series of questions, including age, weight, family history of heart disease and readings of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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