This article was last reviewed on
This article waslast modified on 10 July 2017.

Lab Tests Online-UK has published a series of articles on unvalidated and misleading laboratory tests. It is important that members of the public are made aware that these sorts of tests are increasingly available to purchase directly without consulting any qualified health professionals. Often they are promoted via online retailers or alternative practitioners and may have a number of misleading claims associated with them. It can be very difficult for a person to know whether an advertised test is clinically valid and what risks are associated with it. Even where a valid test is offered there may still be concerns over the accuracy of results if the laboratory is not accredited. Stuart Jones, Technical lead for Lab Tests Online-UK, said: 

“As it becomes increasingly easy to access complex laboratory tests without consulting a health professional
it is vital that members of the public understand that there is a genuine risk of harm
if they are subjected to inappropriate or invalid tests”

We have also published guidance on how validity is assessed and how results should be interpreted.