Low-value wellness tests account for over $100 billion in annual US downstream costs.
Critically Appraising the Wellness Movement: Cost Without Value, A Narrative Review.
Mai-Lan Ho et al. · Journal of general internal medicine · 2026
Background
Unrestrained enthusiasm for "wellness" testing has spawned a marketplace of direct-to-consumer genomics, broad laboratory panels, wearable sensors, and whole-body imaging that outpaces supporting evidence.
$100 billion
Results
extra US health spending each year on follow-up care triggered by unproven wellness tests
More results
We synthesize data across omics, sensors, imaging, and lifestyle medicine to propose a three-tier precision health framework that leverages AI population assessment with high-value testing based on pre-test probability: Tier 1 high-sensitivity screens, Tier 2 targeted confirmation, and Tier 3 precision interventions.
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Conclusion
Adopting this model could markedly reduce unnecessary medical exams and redirect resources toward proven preventive measures.