Physicians should order investigations only when clinically indicated based on their own assessment and an evidence-based differential diagnosis, not solely at the request of a non-physician practitioner. The appropriate next step is to decline to order the requested tests as written and perform (or arrange) a proper evaluation of the patient’s chronic back pain, including red-flag screening, functional impact, and prior work-up/treatments. This aligns with MCCQE objectives on stewardship of health resources and professional accountability: unnecessary testing can cause harm (false positives, downstream procedures) and misuses publicly funded services. Sending results to a reflexologist as “other doctor” is also inappropriate without confirming the person’s role, ensuring relevance to care, and obtaining appropriate patient consent for disclosure; even with consent, the physician should not facilitate non-indicated testing. Reporting (A/B) or directing the patient to stop (E) is premature; the initial focus should be patient-centred care, education about evidence-based options, and collaborative planning while respecting patient autonomy and addressing potential safety concerns.