Overdiagnosed — How Our Obsession with Medical Testing and Labels Is Making Us Sicker

The podcast explores the concept of over-diagnosis in modern medicine, questioning whether increased screening and shifting definitions of normal are doing more harm than good. Neurologist Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan argues that while modern medicine offers incredible tools for early disease detection, it also leads to over-medicalization and anxiety. She highlights how MRI scans reveal incidentalomas, abnormalities that may not require treatment, and how redefined diagnostic boundaries for conditions like pre-diabetes and hypertension can turn healthy individuals into patients. The discussion covers over-diagnosis in cancer, particularly prostate cancer screening's unreliability, and the complexities of Lyme disease diagnosis. Dr. O'Sullivan advocates for a balanced approach, urging patients to understand test uncertainties and consider watchful waiting.