The unscrupulous ordering of “thrombophilia screening” is a major issue in most hospitals. Although there have been attempts through guidelines to state the appropriate indications and circumstances when these tests should be ordered, these have not always been strictly adhered to.1 2 These tests are now often ordered from medical admission units without bearing in mind the effects of new onset thrombosis on the results. General practitioners are also increasingly put under pressure by relatives of the patients who have had a thromboembolic episode to perform heritable thrombophilia testing.

There are however several questions which should be asked before the screening is undertaken: (a) Is the thrombophilia testing indicated? (b) Are the tests requested in …