Not every health check-up is necessary, doctors explain why testing must be personalised

Doctors have emphasised that preventive health check-ups should be personalised, not based on expensive, standardised packages. Speaking at the India Today HealthWealth Summit 2026, Dr Navin Dang, Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Arvind Lal discussed how age, symptoms, family history and existing medical conditions should determine which tests a person needs. Dr Dang stressed the importance of choosing reliable diagnostic laboratories, saying, "If we do not diagnose correctly, we cannot identify correctly. If we cannot identify correctly, we cannot treat correctly." Dr Mahajan cautioned against blindly opting for Silver, Gold or Platinum health packages, adding, "Testing is important, but appropriate testing is even more important." He said unnecessary investigations can increase costs without necessarily improving healthcare. Dr Lal highlighted the importance of monitoring blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure and kidney function, along with maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. He remarked, "A movie ticket costs more than a thyroid test", encouraging people not to avoid essential tests because of cost. The discussion also covered genetic testing, whole-body MRI scans, cancer screening, antimicrobial resistance and AI in healthcare. Doctors said AI can improve efficiency and reduce errors, but it must be medically validated and should support, not replace, doctors.