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Overdiagnosis

The labeling of a person with a disease or abnormal condition that would not have caused the person harm if left undiscovered, creating new diagnoses by medicalizing ordinary life experiences, or expanding existing diagnoses by lowering thresholds or widening criteria without evidence of improved outcomes. Individuals derive no clinical benefit from overdiagnosis although they may experience physical, psychological or financial harm.

Year introduced: 2022(2016)

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Subheadings:

Tree Number(s): E01.505, N02.421.562, N05.300.565

MeSH Unique ID: D000088522

Entry Terms:

  • Overdiagnoses
  • Pseudodisease, Over-Diagnosed
  • Over-Diagnosed Pseudodisease
  • Over-Diagnosed Pseudodiseases
  • Pseudodisease, Over Diagnosed
  • Pseudodiseases, Over-Diagnosed
  • Over-Diagnosis
  • Over-Diagnoses
  • Over Diagnosis
  • Pseudodisease, Overdiagnosed
  • Overdiagnosed Pseudodisease
  • Overdiagnosed Pseudodiseases
  • Pseudodiseases, Overdiagnosed

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