‘When you start to talk about overdiagnosis, all your friends think you’re a weirdo, and all the weirdos think they are your friends!’
Steven Woloshin, POD board member
And that’s a wrap! Our 2025 international Preventing Overdiagnosis conference which took place at the Examination Schools, Oxford last week transported delegates through a whole range of emotions from the depths of despair to glittering heights of hope, as they navigated moral dilemmas, systematic challenges and a whole host of evidence demonstrating the harms of specific instances of overdiagnosis, alongside the wider picture in many parts of the globe.
It was clear from the various presentations and sessions that no single solution can adequately address the complexity of this issue. It requires collaboration among multiple individuals and organisations to recognise and tackle it effectively. Therefore, the conference represents a significant step forward, building on the momentum of previous conferences since the first small gathering in 2012.
A comprehensive three-day program featuring keynote sessions, presentations, workshops and seminars covered a broad range of topics. These included incentives, drivers and strategies to mitigate overdiagnosis and overtreatment; sustainable health; the implications of overdiagnosis in clinical practice and public health; the communication of overdiagnosis; and the influence of social media and direct-to-consumer testing. Additionally, we focused on developing methods for assessing overdiagnosis.
Dr Margaret McCartney presenting in session one: Incentives, Drivers and Mitigation of Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment
One of the highlights of the event was the Lisa M Schwartz Lecture, delivered by Dr Iona Heath. In her talk, she examined the state of modern healthcare and discussed how the overdiagnosis epidemic, along with the deliberate exploitation of both fear and hope as monetised tools, has contributed to an increasingly untenable situation. She also proposed some potential solutions moving forward.
MSc in EBHC Director Dr Annette Plüddemann commented:
‘One of the most rewarding things was to meet with old friends and also to make new connections and collaborations, to continue to develop understanding, methods and solutions for the important issue of preventing overdiagnosis.’
Delegates listening intently to conference speakers
Another delegate added:
‘It was my first time attending POD, and I am still buzzing from what turned out to be the best conference I’ve ever been to.
It was great meeting so many people whose views on practising medicine align with mine. It can sometimes be a bit isolating having this view, as many colleagues do not appreciate the issues involved. So being able to spend time with people who are on the same wavelength was really refreshing, and it was such a treat meeting numerous people in person whose work I have admired from afar.
My main takeaway was that there is real difficulty in getting patients, colleagues and policy makers to understand the problems associated with overdiagnosis/over testing, etc. I had hoped to discover the secret formula for this, but sadly, no: maybe at a future conference - I would love to be able to join next time in Australia ‘
Making new connections and revisiting old friendships during coffee breaks
Wonderful new connections were made during the networking opportunities of the formal dinner and informal lunch and coffee break, and we look forward to the next Preventing Overdiagnosis conference, due to take place in Sydney, Australia 2 - 4 December 2026.
Please note: Video recordings of the keynote sessions will be available shortly on YouTube. Watch this space for more information.