Ruairidh Milne
ruairidhm.bsky.social
Ruairidh Milne
@ruairidhm.bsky.social

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!

Economics 37%
Public Health 23%

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

2025 Lancet Countdown on health & climate change
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

plenty of countries that spend significantly more on fossil fuel subsidies than their healthcare budget

Esp see heat related mortality indicator (new)

& air quality related mortality from burning fossil fuel
The 2025 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change
Driven by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is increasingly claiming lives and harming people's health worldwide. Mean annual temperatures exceeded 1·5°C above those of pre-industr...
www.thelancet.com

"The path we must choose, and be faithful to, is to think first of the world we’re bequeathing to our children and future generations."

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Here’s the direct link to my introduction chapter to ‘Long COVID and Society’, open access and free to read for all, either directly online or downloaded as a PDF

link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
The Social Aspects and Impacts of Long COVID
This chapter provides a substantial introduction to the book, giving an overview of the social, cultural and political aspects and impacts of Long COVID. Drawing on perspectives and theories from heal...
link.springer.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

My latest update on nextgen Covid vaccines is a whopper, in part thanks to catching up with a new vax tracker:

- Trial results for 2 vaxes
- 3 new clinical trials
- 26 preclinical reports

Highlights follow....1/2

Now @plos.org: absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/11/06/a...
#Covid #Covid19 #Vaccines
A Bumper Update on Next Generation Covid Vaccines (No 34) - Absolutely Maybe
This was always going to be a big month, with results from clinical trials of 2 vaccines, as well as 3 new…
absolutelymaybe.plos.org
The early flu season in England continues to build, while the latest Covid wave continues to recede.

Latest UKHSA hospital admission data up to 27 Oct.

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

The PCR positivity map is out, and you might notice something a bit different this week.

From now onwards the map includes Scotland, using the same metric: PCR test positivity.

jamestindall.info/skeuomorphol...

1/10
Flu is spiking up unusually early this year. The chart below shows hospital admissions, compared to six recent flu seasons.

Other indicators like flu test positivity paint the same picture.

From today's @ukhsa.bsky.social surveillance update:
www.gov.uk/government/s...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

We are proud to share a deeply meaningful publication: the final paper co-authored by our late co-founder, Ondine Sherwood.

The paper identifies the nine top priorities for Long Covid research. This work honours her legacy and the power of patient-led science. 🧵

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Many cost analysis for vaccines focus on risks of mortality or serious disease resulting in hospitalisation, not risks of post infection sequelae. Should we be doing this though instead? If so, how will cost analysis calculations work to justify larger initial cost of vax vs longer cost poor health?

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

That Covid infection in non-immune people is linked to enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease is known. Whilst reports have shown risks linked to other respiratory infections, A new systematic review adds weight to this showing a range of respiratory infections are risks 🧪🧵#HealthPolicy
Some common viruses may steeply raise risk of cardiovascular disease
www.cidrap.umn.edu

brilliant!
Bottom line of systematic assessment of studies on Covid vaccinations/boosters:
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Neeps or pumpkins for #Halloween?
I usually carve both. Although neeps are a pain to carve I love the rather unsettling results #Shetland
Covid in England is definitely on the way down, but Flu is on the way up - and over a month early.

My latest substack
open.substack.com/pub/christin...
England's Covid wave recedes but is replaced by flu
Making Sense explores how evidence and data can help us make sense of the world — from the NHS and Covid to science, democracy and politics. Christina Pagel is a Professor of Operational Research at...
open.substack.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

The prostate cancer PSA screening story over 23 years of follow-up for >166,000 participants: more detection, small reduction of mortality www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Since 2015, the number of GP partners in England has dropped by almost 25%.

An article in The Telegraph (£ at buff.ly/9Frirfc) this week cites our briefing on the range of options that could be tested to find a solution.

Read our analysis 👇
The partnership model in general practice predates the NHS. Is now the time to change it?
The partnership model in general practice in England has been in place since before the NHS was formed, but its future is uncertain. The number of GP partners has fallen significantly, and relatively…
buff.ly

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Do you do systematic reviews? You might like this excellent comparison of 8 GenAI/LLM tools that could assist with systematic reviews, published by the Health Equity Evidence Centre at Queen Mary University of London.
lnkd.in/gwj57RTw
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Want authoritative, critical overviews of major improvement approaches in healthcare? The @thisinstitute.cam.ac.uk-edited Cambridge Elements series is free to access, and covers everything from culture change to statistical process control - & most recently, Lean. www.cambridge.org/core/publica...
Improving Quality and Safety in Healthcare
Welcome to Cambridge Core
www.cambridge.org
Same storm different boats

hawksmoorpublishing.com/book/same-st...

@jasonstrelitz.bsky.social

Want to know how a public health team works in the middle of a pandemic? This is about as good a telling of the story as you'll find anywhere.

I just love Manorbier and its castle

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

There will be relentless lobbying from tobacco companies who are all out to kill this bill but obvious commercial reasons.

3/

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

The tobacco and vapes Bill is back in the House of Lords tomorrow

I remain of the view that health impact wise it is the most consequential bill for a generation.

There will be proposed amendments to fatally weaken or kill the bill and some amendments to strengthen it.

1/

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

'Targeted screening for #prostatecancer carries “significant overdiagnosis risks,” + this must not be ignored amid intense cross party lobbying for a national screening service.'
Experts warn of limited evidence www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Prostate cancer: Sunak criticises doctors’ opposition to screening as experts warn of limited evidence
High profile politicians have thrown their weight behind calls to screen at-risk men for prostate cancer, but are potential harms being sufficiently considered? Kate Bowie reports Targeted screening ...
www.bmj.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Quick update on Covid in England - hospital data showing that the latest significant Covid wave is - thankfully - on its way down.

This chart by @bob-hawkins.bsky.social and his substack
bhawkins3.substack.com/p/covid-situ...

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

The tenth series of BBC crime drama Shetland is set to hit screens across the UK in a couple of weeks.
The first episode of the six-part series is scheduled to air on BBC One on Wednesday 5 November at 9pm.

shet.news/grxw8
Broadcast date for first episode of new Shetland series revealed
THE TENTH series of BBC crime drama Shetland is set to hit screens across the UK in a couple of weeks. The first episode of the six-part series is scheduled to...
shet.news
What did the largest trial of an early detection of cancer blood test show?
erictopol.substack.com/p/the-larges...
The Largest Study of a Multi-Cancer Early Detection Blood Test
Reviewing the new data and the "liquid biopsy" field
erictopol.substack.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

An interesting piece on how many people aren’t aware of how tides work and how to stay safe at the seaside.

I’m fascinated by tides. A highlight of our year was walking the final section of St Cuthbert’s Way over to Lindisfarne.

theconversation.com/misunderstan...
Misunderstanding the tide is putting millions at risk on UK coasts – here’s what you need to know
Four in ten people surveyed were unaware that tides come in twice daily, that they vary in timing each day, and that they differ in height across the country.
theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruairidh Milne

Great to see this published and out there. It's a simple paper that shows us that folks with #LongCOVID, #MECFS and other complex chronic illnesses can benefit from using symptom tracking apps like Visible, designed FOR patients, BY patients.

www.frontiersin.org/journals/dig...

1/
Frontiers | Wearable technology in the management of complex chronic illness: preliminary survey results on self-reported outcomes
IntroductionComplex chronic illnesses like Long Covid (LC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) are marked by fluctuating symptoms...
www.frontiersin.org