Pandemic leads doctors to rethink unnecessary treatment
Covid-19 is opening the door for researchers to address a problem that has vexed the medical community for decades: the overtreatment and unnecessary treatment of patients.
On one hand, the pandemic caused major health setbacks for non-covid patients who were forced to, or chose to, avoid tests and treatments for various illnesses. On the other hand, in cases in which no harm was done by delays or cancellations, medical experts can now reevaluate whether those procedures are truly necessary.
But never before, said researcher Allison Oakes, has there been such a large database to compare patients who received a particular test or treatment with those who did not.
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