%0 Generic %A Huck, S. %A Konrad, K.A. %C London, UK %D 2004 %F discovery:14592 %I ESRC Centre for Economic Learning and Social Evolution %N 84 %T Information can kill %U https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/14592/ %X Recent advances in understanding links between genes and the susceptibility to particular diseases have considerably increased the scope for predictive diagnosis. Methods. We analyse how the introduc- tion of predictive diagnosis affects patients�decisions to undergo medical screenings relying on a �rational choice�model. Findings. We show that predictive diagnosis can increase the number of fatalities from a deadly disease. Interpretation. Our result shows the necessity of careful further analysis and debate about the pros and cons of predictive diagnosis and the publication of medical research in general.