Diagnosis while shopping? Why doctors are now sounding the alarm

Blood test between shampoo and toothpaste—can that work?

Some dm stores now offer not only shower gel and creams, but also health checks: skin analysis, eye screening, even blood tests—right in the store, without an appointment. At first glance, this sounds practical: quickly doing something for your health while shopping. But doctors are now issuing clear warnings against this.

The German Medical Association even goes so far as to call for a ban on these services. Ophthalmologists and dermatologists also sharply criticize the new concept. Because health is not as simple as it seems.

Medicine is more than a quick scan

"Medical diagnostics cannot be done in passing," says Klaus Reinhardt, president of the German Medical Association. And that is exactly what is happening right now: people are being scanned or analyzed—without a real conversation, without an examination, without a medical assessment.

The risk: The results can cause uncertainty, even though there is nothing wrong. Or—even more dangerously—they can lull people into a false sense of security. Those who do not go to the doctor may overlook a real health problem. Reinhardt emphasizes: "A real diagnosis requires more than a single measurement." Namely, a thorough assessment, often including follow-up questions and sometimes further examinations.

What if something goes wrong?

Another point that many people are unaware of is what actually happens if something goes wrong during the test. Taking blood is no small matter. Anyone who faints or has an allergic reaction needs quick help. But drugstores are not equipped to deal with medical emergencies. They lack trained staff, emergency equipment—everything that would be taken for granted in a doctor's office.

The technology also has its pitfalls: if a blood sample is stored incorrectly or sent to the laboratory too late, the results may be distorted. And that achieves nothing—except perhaps even more confusion.

Digitization yes—but please use common sense

Of course, it's good when healthcare becomes more accessible. And digital tools such as AI can support doctors. But they cannot replace human experience. A scanner may detect a spot on the skin, but it doesn't know what it means. A doctor can interpret it. They see the person, not just the image.

The problem with drugstore products is that they look professional, but they aren't. People trust the results without knowing how little they actually mean.

Our classification

To be honest, health doesn't belong between shower gel and deodorant. Anyone who takes blood or makes diagnoses takes on responsibility—and that shouldn't be outsourced to a store counter. This isn't preventive healthcare, it's marketing in a lab coat. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously. Anything else is playing around with real risks.

Source: schwaebische.de