Coeliac disease can only be definitevely diagnosed by a small bowel biopsy, says doctors warning against in-pharmacy tests
In-pharmacy tests for coeliac disease are unreliable, say doctors.
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"Coeliac disease is a notoriously difficult to diagnose illness and can only be definitively diagnosed by a small bowel biopsy performed by a doctor," says AMA (NSW) president Saxon Smith.
In-pharmacy tests are unreliable and can have false positive and false negative results, Dr Smith said in a statement.
The disease also has a range of symptoms similar to other
serious conditions.
"Even a true negative test for coeliac disease from in-pharmacy testing may give someone with a different serious illness, false confidence," he said.
In people with the disease, the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten, causing small bowel damage.
On its website, Coeliac Australia says a definitive medical diagnosis is essential as it's a serious condition with lifelong implications.
