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by The BMJ
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- 3 days ago49 min
Social media companies are using the tobacco industry playbook to addict children
Twitter was launched 20 years ago, followed quickly by the iPhone and Instagram. Today, nearly 60% of the world’s population uses social media. Medical experts are sounding the alarm on the potential for these platforms to cause systemic harm. This past year has seen large events in the legal and public health battle against tech giants, with millions of dollars awarded in damages to child victims. Why has pinning down these companies proven difficult? And, what are the parallels between the social media industry and the historical tactics of "Big Tobacco"? Guests: Matthew Bergman is a practicing attorney and the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, as well as a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Ilona Kickbusch is an editorial board member of the BMJ and a visiting professor at the Digital Transformations for Health Lab at the University of Geneva, specializing in the commercial determinants of health. Further reading: From tobacco to TikTok: what public health litigation history tells us about holding social media accountable What is the evidence for social media addiction?
- 1 weeks ago39 min
Revisiting the Cass Review on gender identity services, and non-invasive brain stimulation for children with autism
The BMA has released their long awaited review of the Cass report. The original report looked at the provision of NHS gender identity services for children and young people, and involved a review of the science underpinning those services. It also set out a plan to improve care for gender diverse young people. We talk with David Strain of the BMA’s board of science to discuss their findings, and hear why they were critical of the Secretary of State, Wes Streeting's response to Cass’s review. And, we hear about new research published with The BMJ that aims to help children with autism. The researchers used a non-invasive magnetic stimulation technique to target specific regions of the brain, with the goal of promoting sociality. We discuss the benefits, and how this technique might translate to treatment plans for patients. Guests: David Strain is an associate professor in cardio-metabolic health at the University of Exeter and Chair of the BMA’s Board of Science. Benjamin Becker is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Hong Kong, specializing in brain-based interventions for mental disorders. Further reading: Puberty blockers: BMA critique vindicates Cass review but questions government “overreach” Accelerated non-invasive brain stimulation in childhood autism
- 2 weeks ago43 min
The US UK trade deal will cost the NHS billions, and only serve to increase pharma profits
The new trade deal struck between the UK and US came into force in April. The deal will double the amount that the NHS spends on new medicines, by the end of 2036 (from 0.6 - 0.6% of GDP). increase the threshold that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sets for drug approvals - which will allow more to be approved, but will also allow companies to charge more for their pharmaceuticals, include a change to the rebate the NHS receives, to ensure that the extra drug spend occurs. Cumulatively this will increase our drug spend by £56 billion in the next 10 years, which will have to come out of current healthcare spending - which experts are calling a catastrophe for the NHS. Joining Kamran Abbasi to discuss are Sally Gainsbury, a senior policy analyst Nuffield Trust and Karl Claxton, professor of economics at the University of York. We also hear from Francis Ruiz, policy analyst at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Reading list The UK government must publish a detailed impact assessment of the costs and benefits of the US-UK medicines partnership A budget apart: the case for ringfencing medicines in the UK
- 3 weeks ago38 min
MS drug controversy, adoption outcomes in Sweden, and the multi-factorial reality of Alzheimer’s
A blockbuster MS drug undergoes FDA re-evaluation. We explore the story of Ocrelizumab, a treatment for primary progressive multiple sclerosis, following a patient petition that highlighted internal disagreements among agency reviewers regarding its efficacy. We look to Sweden, where new research involving sibling pairs separated by adoption investigates how early-life environments shape long-term health and social outcomes. Finally, we revisit the dominant medical narrative on Alzheimer’s disease. Why is it so difficult to move towards comprehensive treatments? Has the focus on amyloid plaques hindered our understanding of other critical factors like vascular health and social inequality? Peter Doshi is a senior editor at The BMJ and an associate professor of pharmaceutical health services research at the University of Maryland. Erik Peterson is an associate professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, specializing in psychiatric epidemiology and adoption studies. Carol Brayne is a professor emerita of public health medicine at the University of Cambridge and a leading expert in the epidemiology of dementia. Reading List: Multiple sclerosis: Could Roche's bestselling drug Ocrevus be doing more harm than good in women with primary progressive MS? Home environment conditions during childhood and psychosocial outcomes across three generations in Sweden: population based adoption-discordant sibling comparison study
- Apr 17, 202651 min
The Trump administration is an international health emergency
Covid 19 was the last Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Our guests in this podcast think that the Trump Administration should be declared the next one. Joining Kamran Abbasi are, Fatima Hassan, human rights lawyer and Director of the Health Justice Initiative in South Africa, and Matthew Herder, Director of the Health Justice Institute at Dalhousie University in Canada explain why they think that the actions and consequences of the Whitehouse meet the bar for WHO to delcare an emergency We examine the global consequences of recent US policy shifts, including: The withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its implications for international health governance. Significant funding cuts to global health programs, including PEPFAR and the CDC, and how these disruptions affect life-saving HIV and TB treatments in the Global South. The rise of "unhinged nationalism" in health policy, from North American measles outbreaks to the extraction of trade concessions in exchange for medical aid. The role of US health leadership in fueling vaccine hesitancy and dismantling scientific research at the NIH. Reading list: Trump and his administration as a public health emergency of international concern Why the expanded global gag rule is a deadly triple tripwire for recipients of US foreign aid The power of the markets: the scandal that keeps on taking
- Apr 13, 202639 min
The 15th strike, and bringing compassion back to A&E
Coming up in this week’s episode: The 15th Strike: As the latest six-day walkout by resident doctors in England concludes, the BMJ's news team examines the state of the ongoing dispute over pay and training places. Iain Beardsell, consultant in emergency medicine in Southampton explain why he thinks reintroducing compassion could be the key to tackling the systemic issues facing emergency departments And finally, The BMA announces major changes to how it represents doctors in private practice - we hear why they think the US has some better legislation around health insurance than the UK. Reading list: Resident doctor strikes: Streeting demands to “meet with the organ grinders” as latest action ends The BMJ interviews Jack Fletcher Make compassion visible in emergency medicine again BMA boosts support for private practice as NHS failings prompt more patients to pay for care
- Apr 3, 202634 min
The unchecked rise of shisha tobacco cafes, and making breastfeeding stick
The BMJ published a negative result this week. A new trial focuses on a peer support intervention for improving breastfeeding rates in the UK, but finds no major improvement. We hear from the lead author who tells us what went wrong, and the insights that can still be drawn from apparent ‘failures’. Next we turn our eyes to shisha smoking in the UK. With shisha or “hookah” cafes on the rise, we explore the smoking habit in more detail. What are the effects on health? And why are UK laws poor at regulating the practice? Kate Jolly is professor of public health and primary care at the University of Birmingham. Zainab Hussain is a UK-based freelance journalist writing on behalf of The BMJ. Links: Peer support intervention (ABA-feed) to improve breastfeeding: UK based, multicentre, parallel group, randomised controlled trial Shisha tobacco’s availability is rising. Why does UK smoking policy fail to tackle it?
- Mar 27, 202643 min
New Covid inquiry findings with Dr Kevin Fong, and invasive cosmetic procedures
The UK Covid Inquiry released Module Three of its findings this month. It lays out in startling detail the lived experiences of NHS staff and patients who bore through the pandemic. In the report’s words: ‘healthcare systems coped with the pandemic, but only just’. The BMJ speaks to Kevin Fong, anaesthetist lead for major incidence planning at UCL hospitals, to break down Module Three’s most important takeaways. And, invasive surgical cosmetic procedures are on the rise in the UK, with regulation patchy at best. From botox and fillers, to tummy tucks and breast surgeries, we hear about the gaps in patient protections that leave space for harm. Kevin Fong is a consultant anaesthetist, broadcaster, and anaesthetist lead for major incidence planning at UCL hospitals. Danielle Griffiths is an author and lecturer at the University of Liverpool’s School of Law. Alexandra Mullock is an author and senior lecturer in medical law at the University of Manchester. UK Covid Inquiry Module Three Report Regulating invasive cosmetic procedures to reduce harm | The BMJ
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