Wilson criteria for screening
Last reviewed 01/2018
The Wilson criteria for screening emphasise the important features of any screening program, as follows:
- the condition should be an important health problem
- the natural history of the condition should be understood
- there should be a recognisable latent or early symptomatic stage
- there should be a test that is easy to perform and interpret, acceptable, accurate, reliable, sensitive and specific
- there should be an accepted treatment recognised for the disease
- treatment should be more effective if started early
- there should be a policy on who should be treated
- diagnosis and treatment should be cost-effective
- case-finding should be a continuous process