The last several years have seen increased concern about the phenomenon of sudden unexpected death in young people, particularly athletes. Nearly all such tragedies garner significant media attention, and lead to recurring understandable questions as to how such terrible events might be prevented. Presuming that such cases result from cardiac conditions that might be detectable through the use of non-invasive tests, it seems obvious to some that we should make a major effort to identify young athletes at risk through screening, allowing one to (presumably) prevent a subsequent catastrophe. The topic of cardiac screening is, in fact, quite controversial. Viewed from the point of view of the grieving parent, pre-participation screening seems to be an obviously beneficial measure. From a public health point of view, however, it is not as clear.