Editing a letter

To Whom It May Concern:

I’m writing this letter in regards to house bill 256, an act relative to self-ordering for laboratory testing. According to this bill, any individuals are allowed to self-order laboratory testing without a health care provider’s request.

I believe each individual has power and freedom to make decision and to have self-control over his/her own body in accordance with health management.

However, allowing individuals to self-order laboratory testing without a health care provider’s request can be worrisome. As we know that technology and social media has played a large part in our everyday life. It’s changed the way we access information and communicate with those around us. Internet allows us to obtain information quickly and easily. It gives us variety of information from different sources, however do we believe that information we receive in Internet would be reliable?

Individuals who order laboratory testing without doctor’s order would tend to self-diagnosis themselves or for his/her loved ones. The temptation for people to reach their own conclusion about their illness is inevitable thus, when they self-ordering laboratory testing, receiving the results and confirming the results on internet, they essentially assuming that they know what’s going on with themselves. This is what dangerous; they might not see what the doctors see. They might be over-diagnosed or under-diagnosed. For example: someone with brain tumor may present with changes in his/her personality, memory, or even depression. If they assume they have depression and treat it with over the counter medications, they may completely miss a medical diagnosis.

In conclusion, to prevent bad things happen on individuals, self-ordering for laboratory testing should be prohibited. While information that’s readily available on Internet may be useful for other things, it should not be used for self-diagnosing.

I hope you considering my letter.

Thank you,