The wisdom of screening all hospital patients for MRSA in England is being questioned by a leading expert.
Dr Michael Millar, who is involved in the screening programme at a top London hospital trust, said the tests produced too many false results.
He also said the risks and consequences of delayed operations and isolation were not fully explained to patients, the British Medical Journal reported.
But the government said screening was an important part of the MRSA fight.
It was announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as one of his flagship policies in the fight against superbugs - and has been implemented as MRSA rates have been falling.
All hospitals in England have had to screen patients being admitted for non-emergency surgery since April 2009.
They have until 2011 to make sure emergency cases are tested - although many trusts have already started doing this.
Most other countries, including the US, rest of the UK and much of mainland Europe, only screen the most at-risk patients, such as those who have been in and out of hospital in recent months. Read more...
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