Screening for the early detection of diseases in Great Britain.

An account is given of screening for the early detection of disease 
in Great Britain today. The organisation of screening programmes provided nationally 
for the whole population is described. These include programmes for prenatal 
care, screening of infants, screening of schoolchildren, and screening of women 
for carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix. Selective screening programmes 
for tuberculosis and for various industrial diseases are mentioned. Experience in 
provision of these services on a national scale has emphasised the 
importance of evaluating future screening programmes, before they are implemented, by 
research studies on their effectiveness, their possibly harmful side effects, and 
their cost. Evidence from research in screening for a number of 
diseases is very briefly summarized, and it is concluded that there 
may be some development of programmes for the early detection and 
treatment of hypertension and of breast cancer, but for other diseases 
and for multiphasic screening, evidence so far available is insufficient to 
warrant any immediate extension from research towards service. 