The Chinese saying, wealth weakens the body, explains why, growing up in the 1960s, I had never heard of healthy people going for a medical check-up, while today health checks are common practice.
It is a good thing. Instead of depending on health-care professionals to fix the problem when something goes wrong, one should take charge of one's own body.
In many western countries, it is not uncommon to find individuals armed with loads of information gathered from the internet on a particular health issue before consulting a doctor about the problem. If patients are encouraged to participate in taking care of themselves, do they really need a doctor's permission before they go for blood tests and other non-invasive diagnostic procedures?
Interpreting blood test results and reading a radiologist's report are not exactly quantum physics, and if the check-up reveals an abnormality, people will generally seek help from a doctor.
The South China Morning Post recently reported on the Hong Kong Medical Association's warning to the public that health checks directly promoted by private laboratories without a doctor's supervision could result in unnecessary tests and even health hazards.
Private laboratories were also accused of telling their clients that more tests mean getting a better deal. The warning typically reflects the monopolistic attitude of western medicine in Hong Kong.