If you believe the Government - any Government in fact - we are all entangled in webbing made of regulation red tape that makes us look like one of those mummies emerging from a tomb in a 60s Hanna Barbara cartoon. However, I can't help but agree on this occasion. I don't know about you, … Continue reading Ridding ourselves of the 'red tape' worm
patient and public involvement
Department of Health about to have a Field day taking calls, I believe.
The NHS seems to be dominating my life this week. Quite apart from the news headlines, it has involved two visits to the doctors and a blood test so far ..but I am on the mend I am pleased to report. All I can say is, a 45 minute wait for a blood test and excellent … Continue reading Department of Health about to have a Field day taking calls, I believe.
Health and Social Care Bill and other reasons to switch-on
I begin with a public information announcement....If you are following the debate about the Health and Social Care Bill then you really must come to AMRC's workshop on 29th March to discuss its impact on research and what's to be done about it. If it is anything like the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research … Continue reading Health and Social Care Bill and other reasons to switch-on
Rawlins Review: Academy lays down law on health research regulation
Over the weekend Professor Colin Blakemore said he hoped the Academy of Medical Sciences would come up with radical proposals to end the regulatory mess that holds up UK health research such as clinical trials. I am not sure whether he will feel today's report by the Academy lives up to that aspiration, but I do … Continue reading Rawlins Review: Academy lays down law on health research regulation
Regulating research – Blakemore/Deer comment pieces + AMRC background
Ahead of next week's Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) much anticipated report on medical research regulation I see The Times and Sunday Times (both paywall) have published pieces this weekend by scientist Professor Colin Blakemore and journalist Brian Deer respectively, offering different perspectives on the issue of regulation. If you are looking for further background on … Continue reading Regulating research – Blakemore/Deer comment pieces + AMRC background
More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
A piece of good news with which to begin the New Year. PharmaTimes is reporting that the number of patients participating in clinical trials jumped by 67% last year to over half a million (compared to over 300,000 in 2009). The new CEO of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network Co-ordinating Centre (NIHR … Continue reading More NHS patients participating in UK clinical trials than ever before
What do patients want from health research regulation?
In a blog 'exclusive' - albeit more by technical chance than design - I am today sharing with you the independent report of the AMRC/INVOLVE patient workshop on health research regulation that took part in early November. We were invited to undertake this important piece of work by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) as … Continue reading What do patients want from health research regulation?
NHS white paper next steps
Some of you may know that today was being dubbed 'Super Wednesday' by some because today is the day that the Department of Health has set out its response to the consultation on the NHS White Paper 'Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.' The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has very helpfully published an … Continue reading NHS white paper next steps
The Public health white paper – a new school of thought
'Healthy Lives, Healthy People,' the White Paper on public health has been published and is available on the Department of Health website. The news release sets out the Secretary of State's 'ladder of intervention' - from the rather refreshingly titled 'do nothing' up to 'eliminate choice altogether' - which sound like the different states of readiness one … Continue reading The Public health white paper – a new school of thought
Up a ladder with the public health white paper
If you refuse to walk under, or indeed climb, ladders then this blog is not for you. The public health white paper is to be launched tomorrow (Tuesday). There has been much trailing of various proposals that will likely appear in the document - from providing vouchers to school children who walk to school, to a … Continue reading Up a ladder with the public health white paper
When good medicine is the casualty of hype and ignorance
I have just returned from the Financial Times' offices, where I was the guest for their regular science podcast hosted by Clive Cookson and Andrew Jack (it will appear here later today). The theme of the discussion was 'Selling Sickness.' Andrew was reporting on a recent conference of the same name that took place last month in Holland. … Continue reading When good medicine is the casualty of hype and ignorance
User involvement in research – drive your own train
I am at the INVOLVE two-day conference in Nottingham this week. INVOLVE is the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded programme promoting public involvement in research. It is perhaps worth adding that INVOLVE is the only publicly funded national organisation of its kind across the world. It's a packed conference - almost 500 delegates … Continue reading User involvement in research – drive your own train
'A nation of General Practitioners' and other bits of philosophising
The news earlier this week that the National Institute of Clinicial and Health Excellence (NICE) is to lose its powers for deciding which drugs should be made available on the NHS (to be replaced by a new system based around GP commissioning) brought an alternative version of Adam Smith's remarks about shopkeepers to mind: "To found a … Continue reading 'A nation of General Practitioners' and other bits of philosophising
A non-commercial break…and FP8
A brief interlude in all things politics gives me the opportunity to relay some events of the last few weeks. First, a long overdue welcome to our three new member charities: Epilepsy Action; Furlong Research Charitable Foundation and; Pancreatric Cancer UK. That takes our membership up to 124 charities. Monday night saw me attend the … Continue reading A non-commercial break…and FP8
simondenegri.com 