An Opinion on Medical Overuse in the Context of the European Academy of Paediatrics Choosing Wisely Initiative

: In 2024, the European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) published a list of 10 low-value practices in paediatric care. Embedded in the Choosing Wisely framework, this list is a step towards promoting targeted and evidence-based care. However, no single recommendation can change prescription habits and we need to acknowledge that overuse of the available resources has multiple causes. Among them, the physicians' mental framework, cognitive biases, fears of missing a diagnostic and the pressure to act cannot be ignored. Here, the EAP's Choosing Wisely working group explores these causes and outlines three broad paths that may lead to long-lasting reduction in low-value care.