Tests range from something like maybe 30 pounds for a basic sort of cholesterol test to many hundreds of pounds when you move on to the more complex things like genetic tests for cancer risk. You can test for vitamin deficiencies or thyroid hormones, cholesterol, diabetes, fertility, testosterone. When it comes to results you might just get sort of a dashboard that tells you where your result falls within a range. And under what circumstances you should seek further medical help others don't offer any follow-up care so one said we recommend you contact your GP for a full interpretation of your results.
Companies selling private blood tests offer customers a way to check their health – from measuring cholesterol levels to thyroid hormones – from the comfort of their home. But what happens if there’s an abnormal result? Madeleine Finlay speaks to health journalist Emma Wilkinson and consultant chemical pathologist Dr Bernie Croal about how these tests work, how to interpret your results and whether an already overstretched NHS is being left to deal with the worried well. Help support our independent journalism at
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