Study: Social media promotes p-tau217 p-tau181 tests for healthy people
A new study says social media is hyping up Alzheimer's blood tests like p-tau217 and p-tau181, even for people with no symptoms.
These tests were designed for those showing signs of the disease, not just anyone curious about their brain health.
Dr. Jenna Smith, from the University of Sydney's school of public health, points out this could cause more harm than good.
Alzheimer's Association opposes asymptomatic p-tau testing
Out of 188 posts analyzed, more than a third encouraged healthy people to get tested.
About 10% of posts were doctors claiming the test could be useful for asymptomatic screening, and most of these were from the US
Accounts with explicit financial interests were more than three times as likely to suggest testing than others.
Experts warn this can lead to misdiagnosis and anxiety, since there's no clear plan for what happens after a positive result if you don't have symptoms.
There is global consensus among peak neurological bodies, including the Alzheimer's Association, that such tests should never be used for healthy people with no symptoms and should not be used on their own to diagnose Alzheimer's and need to be combined with other medical assessments.