Too much or too little medicine? Overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, overtreatment and undertreatment in respiratory diseases

[Extract] At a time when technical possibilities for medical investigations are plentiful and ever expanding, there is growing awareness that more is not always better and that “too much medicine” may be harmful. In recent years, the global Choosing Wisely educational campaign has aimed to bring attention to unnecessary healthcare. Unnecessary healthcare includes overtesting, overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The March issue of Breathe aims to challenge us to rethink our clinical practice, to reflect on the evidence, and to identify potential cognitive biases that might influence us to provide “too much” or “too little” medicine