Ruairidh Milne

@ruairidhm.bsky.social

1.4K followers 100 following 120 posts

Long Covid since March 2020.
“Nothing about me without me” - doesn't seem unreasonable.
Previously: health research, public health, technology assessment and appraisal
Also some Shetland!

Videos

Economics 37%

Public Health 23%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 1d

Bottom line: “PRISMA-compliance” can mask questionable practices. For complex evidence, we need better training/oversight, methods + topic expertise, and new synthesis approaches designed for complexity—combining formal tools with interpretive, context-rich judgment.
9/

Reposted by Mark Petticrew, Ruairidh Milne

Trisha Elliott @trishaelliott.bsky.social · 3d

What an interesting piece of research.

“A new study from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has found that public health policies which reduce spending on harmful products can actually provide a significant boost to UK jobs and the wider economy.”

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/news-media/n...

New research shows that spending less on tobacco, gambling and sweets is good for the UK economy - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

A new study from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has found that public health policies which reduce spending on harmful products can actually provide a significant boost to UK jobs and ...

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 3d

@erictopol.bsky.social maybe you can cover this issue (66 systematic reviews of mask efficacy, half conclude they are effective, half conclude that evidence is lacking; the phrase “PRISMA compliant” obscures a multitude of sins) in your podcast?

Reposted by Martin McKee, John Drury, Ruairidh Milne , and 2 more Martin McKee, John Drury, Ruairidh Milne, Tuomas Mattila, Christina Pagel

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 3d

Our new paper:

Synthesis challenges in complex evidence: A critical analysis of systematic reviews of face mask efficacy

#episky #healthpolicy #medsky

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Synthesis challenges in complex evidence: A critical analysis of systematic reviews of face mask efficacy | Research Synthesis Methods | Cambridge Core

Synthesis challenges in complex evidence: A critical analysis of systematic reviews of face mask efficacy

www.cambridge.org

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Prof Jim McManus, OCDS, D.Sc,FFPH,FBPsS, @jimmcmanusph.bsky.social · 4d

A good piece of research here. Some industries claim regulating products like tobacco is bad for the economy. It isn’t. People change spending to other things, usually in their local economies. Welcome news, but not to tobacco industry . sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/news-media/n...

New research shows that spending less on tobacco, gambling and sweets is good for the UK economy - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Stuart McDonald @actuarybyday.bsky.social · 5d

Is life expectancy still increasing in the UK?

A short thread on why experts have come to different conclusions in recent years but why I think the latest data clearly shows an underlying trend of increasing #longevity. 1/6

Age-standardised mortality rates for England and Wales, 2011 to 2025. A linear trendline is fitted with a corridor around it to account for annual volatility. Other than 2020 and 2021, all years are within the corridor.

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 6d

We're asking MPs in the Thames Water area to sign an open letter to Ofwat telling them to reject Thames Water's rescue bid - a bid that if signed off would permit them to pollute our rivers until 2040.

2,000 of you have written to them. But >100 MPs have still not signed the letter. 1/2

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Liam Farrell @drlfarrell.bsky.social · 6d

For one month only, my book 'Are you the F**king doctor? Tales from the bleeding edge of medicine,' will be discounted to GBP 0.99 in a Kindle Great Savings Deal which runs until 28-Feb-2026
www.amazon.co.uk/Are-You-king...

Are You the F**king Doctor?: Tales from the bleeding edge of medicine eBook : Farrell, Liam: Amazon.co.uk: Books

www.amazon.co.uk

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · 6d

Lots to think about in my annual roundup of peer review research:
- AI, mostly bad; some suggestions of ways it may help
- Evidence on financial rewards for peer review
- Influence of editors' biases
More on equity & diversity; librarians & systematic reviews
absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2026/02/02/5...

5 Things We Learned About Journal Peer Review in 2025 - Absolutely Maybe

Back in 2019 I wrote a couple of posts summarizing what we had learned from research about peer review at journals. Since…

absolutelymaybe.plos.org

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · 9d

Lots of news in my latest next generation Covid vax update:

- Self-amplifying mRNA vax Kostaive approved in the UK

- New trial for mucosal vax starting in Finland

- Results from AstraZeneca phase 1 trial for mRNA vax ...

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2026/01/31/a...

1/2

#Vaccines #Covid #Covid19

Another Approval and More NextGen Covid Vax News (Update No 37) - Absolutely Maybe

This month, Arcturus’ self-amplifying mRNA vaccine was approved for use in the UK. There were also new clinical trial results for another…

absolutelymaybe.plos.org

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Leo Hickman @leohickman.carbonbrief.org · 10d

Wow?!

BBC News homepage has just significantly downgraded the placing of its "Climate" section on its menu bar

Climate is now ranked last, lower than Tech.

Earlier this month "Climate" was ranked above World, UK, US&Canada, Business and Tech

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Dan O'Hara @skeuomorphology.bsky.social · 11d

The PCR positivity map is out, and UKHSA are reporting a rise to 2.2% nationally in England.

Adjusted for non-reporting we make that 2.88%.

Scotland's seen a larger rise from 2.16 to 2.8%.

jamestindall.info/skeuomorphol...

1/7

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 11d

In follow-up of a randomized trial of low-dose aspirin in >19,000 older adults, cancer was not prevented and mortality related to cancer was increased
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Prof Devi Sridhar @profdevisridhar.bsky.social · 13d

My latest column www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Air pollution kills thousands a year in the UK and abroad – why isn’t there a bigger uproar? | Devi Sridhar

Initiatives such as London’s ULEZ can be a model for other cities. But even more could be done to save lives and protect us from deadly toxins in the air, says Prof Devi Sridhar, chair of global publi...

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Tom Morton @thebeatcroft.bsky.social · 13d

Full livestream of the #UpHellyAa procession from 7.00pm on uphellyaa.com #shetland

UpHellyAa.com - Watch Up Helly Aa live!

Our live stream will return for Up Helly Aa in Lerwick on 27th January 2026, bringing you the fiery drama as it happens.

uphellyaa.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Dr Duncan Robertson @duncanrobertson.bsky.social · 14d

Get vaccinated (even if you or children you look after have missed out)
www.nhs.uk/vaccinations...

NHS vaccinations and when to have them

A full list of the routine vaccinations offered on the NHS and when they should be given.

www.nhs.uk

Reposted by Richard E. Lenski, Rita Rubin, Michael H. Fox , and 1 more Richard E. Lenski, Rita Rubin, Michael H. Fox, Ruairidh Milne

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 18d

The Shingles vaccine has outperformed all expectations. Why?
erictopol.substack.com/p/spotlight-...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 18d

Good Substack from Rob Wachter: The week that AI crossed the line (into prescribing drugs).
open.substack.com/pub/robertwa...

The Week That AI Crossed the Line

Why ChatGPT Health and Utah’s AI Prescribing Law Mark the Beginning of the “AI Doctor” Era

open.substack.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Trisha Elliott @trishaelliott.bsky.social · 19d

This isn’t my area of expertise at all, so I’ve been fascinated to read more today about the Fast Forward trial for radiotherapy in patients with early breast cancer.

🧵 1/n

#MedSky
#Research
#BreastCancer
#Covid
#MedicalTrials

From @thelancet.com

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Hypofractionated breast radiotherapy for 1 week versus 3 weeks (FAST-Forward): 5-year efficacy and late normal tissue effects results from a multicentre, non-inferiority, randomised, phase 3 trial

26 Gy in five fractions over 1 week is non-inferior to the standard of 40 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks for local tumour control, and is as safe in terms of normal tissue effects up to 5 years for p...

www.thelancet.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Long Covid Support @longcovidsupport.bsky.social · 28d

"The short answer is that the Treasury took no action at all."

At the UK Covid Inquiry (Module 9), the Long Covid Groups were clear: the economic impact of Long Covid was foreseeable and ignored, leaving many people without support.

Watch our closing statement: www.youtube.com/watch?si=ikR...

🧵 👇

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Margaret McCartney @mgtmccartney.bsky.social · Jan 10

Centre for Evidence and Values in Healthcare - 5th Feb in St Andrews.
Screening can be confusing, numbers, ethics, communication....PSA, whole body scans, influencers telling you to get bloods for 'wellbeing'...

low cost, non profit, no sponsorship
medicine.st-andrews.ac.uk/centreforevi...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · Jan 8

🤔We asked the DHSC who has ultimate decision-making power to use private finance in new neighbourhood health centres, and whether communities would get a say in decisions to use private finance in their health facilities. 1/3

Screenshot of a response from the DHSC to a freedom of information request by We Own It:
"Thank you for your request dated 4 December to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), a copy of which can be found in the accompanying annex.
"Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
"DHSC holds information relevant to your request. However, we consider that this information is exempt under section 35(1)(a) of the FOIA, which provides protection for the information that relates to the formulation or development of government policy. Section 35 is a qualified exemption and requires consideration of the public interest test."

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne, Els Torreele

Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · Jan 6

When UK announced a deal with US on Pharma, @elstorreele.bsky.social & I were sceptical @bmj.com (not least because there is no text). Now we have the US interpretation and it’s not good 👇

www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Shetland Elects @shetlandelects.bsky.social · Jan 4

The Guardian has a good summary of the campaigns and debates around building tunnels in Shetland and the Western Isles www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Hilda Bastian @hildabast.bsky.social · Jan 1

A major milestone for next generation Covid vax: The first clinical trial for a pancoronavirus formulation of an existing vaccine was registered.

With more news incl trial results & 12 preclinical reports—in my monthly update @plos.org

absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/12/31/m...

#Vaccines

Major Milestone for Pancoronavirus Vaccines and More (Next Generation Covid Vax Update No 36) - Absolutely Maybe

This month, the first clinical trial for a pancoronavirus formulation of an existing Covid vaccine was registered. Although it’s just on the…

absolutelymaybe.plos.org

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Catherine Munro @catherinemmunro.bsky.social · Dec 31

The year's last light #Shetland #happynewyear

Reposted by Kimberly A. Prather, Nicola J. Cooper, Ruairidh Milne

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · Dec 31

STRENGTHEN PRIMARY CARE.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Huge rise in number of people in England’s A&Es for coughs or hiccups

Lack of prompt access to primary care blamed for rise in hospital cases of minor ailments including blocked noses

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Patient-Led Research Collaborative @patientled.bsky.social · Dec 30

Thank you to everyone who made our work possible this year! Here's a thread on some of the highlights from PLRC's research, advocacy and education efforts in 2025.

All of this work is carried out by a team living with #LongCovid 🧵 /1

Reposted by Martin McKee, Ruairidh Milne

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · Dec 21

Here’s ten of the best papers I published this year (thread).
1. A rapid systematic review of the UK literature on physician associates. With @martinmckee.bsky.social
www.bmj.com/content/388/...

Physician associates and anaesthetic associates in UK: rapid systematic review of recent UK based research

Objective To summarise research on the efficacy and safety of UK physician associates and anaesthetic associates in the context of an ongoing policy review. Design Rapid systematic review. Search st...

www.bmj.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Martin McKee @martinmckee.bsky.social · Dec 19

Over a week ago @elstorreele.bsky.social & I raised serious questions about the still unpublished (if it actually exists) U.K. US Pharma “deal”.
Pleased to see that @chionwurah.bsky.social has written to DHSC asking the same questions as we did.

committees.parliament.uk/committee/13...

Life sciences: Science and Tech Committee presses government for details on US trade deal - Committees - UK Parliament

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Chair, Dame Chi Onwurah, has written to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health, and Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science and Technology, f...

committees.parliament.uk

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