Deb Cohen
@debscohen.bsky.social
Broadcaster and writer | Senior visiting fellow, LSE | Escapee medic | Former health correspondent, BBC Newsnight | Science editor, ITV News | Investigations editor, BMJ | Scouse
https://www.specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
https://www.specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
Well I wasn’t expecting that… went out for a few bevvies and ended up signing a book I didn’t even know had been published...
January 17, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Well I wasn’t expecting that… went out for a few bevvies and ended up signing a book I didn’t even know had been published...
Thrilled my book Bad Influence featured by Stylist.
This "fascinating" & "terrifying dive into 21st century healthcare should be mandatory reading".
Showing how social media leads to "dark corners"
"Read this book & become instantly better informed, self-aware & outraged"
This "fascinating" & "terrifying dive into 21st century healthcare should be mandatory reading".
Showing how social media leads to "dark corners"
"Read this book & become instantly better informed, self-aware & outraged"
December 30, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Thrilled my book Bad Influence featured by Stylist.
This "fascinating" & "terrifying dive into 21st century healthcare should be mandatory reading".
Showing how social media leads to "dark corners"
"Read this book & become instantly better informed, self-aware & outraged"
This "fascinating" & "terrifying dive into 21st century healthcare should be mandatory reading".
Showing how social media leads to "dark corners"
"Read this book & become instantly better informed, self-aware & outraged"
Amid fierce criticism, I spoke to critics & triallists about the puberty blocker trial, putting methodological & ethical concerns to researchers & Hilary Cass for @bmj.com. They describe clinical context, challenge criticism & say studies are necessary. (open access)
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
“This is why the trial is necessary”: experts behind the puberty blockers study respond to mounting opposition
As the NHS launches its most contested clinical trial in decades, Deborah Cohen speaks to Emily Simonoff, Pathways lead investigator, and Hilary Cass, the author of the review that led to the study
T...
www.bmj.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Amid fierce criticism, I spoke to critics & triallists about the puberty blocker trial, putting methodological & ethical concerns to researchers & Hilary Cass for @bmj.com. They describe clinical context, challenge criticism & say studies are necessary. (open access)
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
In 2019 I got leaked US UK trade deal docs that suggested there would be drug price rises. I reported on the docs for BBC Newsnight. There was outcry from certain sectors & a certain ex leader of the opposition took up the case. Interesting to see this has actually come to pass
December 1, 2025 at 9:55 PM
In 2019 I got leaked US UK trade deal docs that suggested there would be drug price rises. I reported on the docs for BBC Newsnight. There was outcry from certain sectors & a certain ex leader of the opposition took up the case. Interesting to see this has actually come to pass
Reposted by Deb Cohen
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Multi cancer detection tests
Till we've better evidence definitely more hype than hope in my view
Good show @debscohen.bsky.social
Multi cancer detection tests
Till we've better evidence definitely more hype than hope in my view
Good show @debscohen.bsky.social
File on 4 Investigates - Multi-Cancer Testing - Hype or Hope? - BBC Sounds
Could multi-cancer detection tests help improve earlier diagnosis for NHS patients?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 2:23 PM
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Multi cancer detection tests
Till we've better evidence definitely more hype than hope in my view
Good show @debscohen.bsky.social
Multi cancer detection tests
Till we've better evidence definitely more hype than hope in my view
Good show @debscohen.bsky.social
I'm never quite sure how much of the nice stuff people say about my book, Bad Influence, I should share. But these are the first two reviews in and they're from people I really admire. So I thought I'd indulge myself a bit...
October 17, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I'm never quite sure how much of the nice stuff people say about my book, Bad Influence, I should share. But these are the first two reviews in and they're from people I really admire. So I thought I'd indulge myself a bit...
I am thrilled to share that Bad Influence has been selected by @waterstones.bsky.social for an exclusive pre-order promotion
Get 25% off when you order this week using code OCTOBER25. waterstones.com/book/bad-influ…#WPreorderer
(Apols for music...couldn't resist)
Get 25% off when you order this week using code OCTOBER25. waterstones.com/book/bad-influ…#WPreorderer
(Apols for music...couldn't resist)
October 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I am thrilled to share that Bad Influence has been selected by @waterstones.bsky.social for an exclusive pre-order promotion
Get 25% off when you order this week using code OCTOBER25. waterstones.com/book/bad-influ…#WPreorderer
(Apols for music...couldn't resist)
Get 25% off when you order this week using code OCTOBER25. waterstones.com/book/bad-influ…#WPreorderer
(Apols for music...couldn't resist)
In the words of one prof of evidence synthesis: "This is going to be great - exposing the snake oil pushers of the modern age. With modern technology and a global market at their fingertips, they have never been more dangerous to our health."
New book klaxon: I finally piss EVERYONE off!
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
September 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
In the words of one prof of evidence synthesis: "This is going to be great - exposing the snake oil pushers of the modern age. With modern technology and a global market at their fingertips, they have never been more dangerous to our health."
You can tell I'm not in sales and marketing...my mate just DM'd me "where's the preorder link you, nobhead?"
So here is it: amzn.eu/d/hRYd9fI
So here is it: amzn.eu/d/hRYd9fI
September 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
You can tell I'm not in sales and marketing...my mate just DM'd me "where's the preorder link you, nobhead?"
So here is it: amzn.eu/d/hRYd9fI
So here is it: amzn.eu/d/hRYd9fI
New book klaxon: I finally piss EVERYONE off!
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
September 23, 2025 at 1:47 PM
New book klaxon: I finally piss EVERYONE off!
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
What happens when you put health on platforms geared for shopping, PR & entertainment?
What's medicine and what's marketing? And what impact is it having on health?
(In public health lingo -it's commercial meets digital determinants of health)
Chris Whitty bringing a huge amount of scepticism and sense to 'misinformation' debate. He's not focusing on individuals but the behaviour of the likes tobacco, fossil fuel and drug companies @lshtm.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Chris Whitty bringing a huge amount of scepticism and sense to 'misinformation' debate. He's not focusing on individuals but the behaviour of the likes tobacco, fossil fuel and drug companies @lshtm.bsky.social
Reposted by Deb Cohen
This is excellent and highly worth reading as many of the points highlighted are relevant to other similarly well intentioned appearing schemes. I almost signed up but was put off by exactly these concerns, however the article raises many I hadn’t thought of.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social
The UK’s flagship health research programme promises breakthroughs, but beneath an NHS branded facade, critics are asking who really benefits from this vast database, heavily backed by industry and government.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
July 31, 2025 at 9:41 AM
This is excellent and highly worth reading as many of the points highlighted are relevant to other similarly well intentioned appearing schemes. I almost signed up but was put off by exactly these concerns, however the article raises many I hadn’t thought of.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Interesting debate around 'Our Future Health' Read more 👇
"scale & ambition praiseworthy, esp for enrolling people from ethnic minority & low income backgrounds" BUT consent, transparency & commercial interest concerns
@kathcheckland.bsky.social @publichealthuom.bsky.social @ewenspeed.bsky.social
"scale & ambition praiseworthy, esp for enrolling people from ethnic minority & low income backgrounds" BUT consent, transparency & commercial interest concerns
@kathcheckland.bsky.social @publichealthuom.bsky.social @ewenspeed.bsky.social
The UK’s flagship health research programme promises breakthroughs, but beneath an NHS branded facade, critics are asking who really benefits from this vast database, heavily backed by industry and government.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
July 31, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Interesting debate around 'Our Future Health' Read more 👇
"scale & ambition praiseworthy, esp for enrolling people from ethnic minority & low income backgrounds" BUT consent, transparency & commercial interest concerns
@kathcheckland.bsky.social @publichealthuom.bsky.social @ewenspeed.bsky.social
"scale & ambition praiseworthy, esp for enrolling people from ethnic minority & low income backgrounds" BUT consent, transparency & commercial interest concerns
@kathcheckland.bsky.social @publichealthuom.bsky.social @ewenspeed.bsky.social
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Good to see @mgtmccartney.bsky.social & @debscohen.bsky.social back out on tour
July 30, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Good to see @mgtmccartney.bsky.social & @debscohen.bsky.social back out on tour
The UK’s flagship health research programme promises breakthroughs, but beneath an NHS branded facade, critics are asking who really benefits from this vast database, heavily backed by industry and government.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
July 30, 2025 at 7:07 PM
The UK’s flagship health research programme promises breakthroughs, but beneath an NHS branded facade, critics are asking who really benefits from this vast database, heavily backed by industry and government.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and I investigate
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Women are disproportionally targeted with medical misinformation, and put at unique risk by it. Tonight @debscohen.bsky.social and myself will discuss some of the reasons why and how to counter it. Still tickets available if you'd like to join us online..
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/countering...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/countering...
Countering Disinformation & Media Influence in Women’s Health
Explore how disinformation, media & social media shape women’s health with Dr David Grimes & Dr Deborah Cohen. Join the webinar.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
July 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Women are disproportionally targeted with medical misinformation, and put at unique risk by it. Tonight @debscohen.bsky.social and myself will discuss some of the reasons why and how to counter it. Still tickets available if you'd like to join us online..
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/countering...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/countering...
Anyone know where Anfield is?!
April 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Anyone know where Anfield is?!
Self promo klaxon....Delighted to be signed up to the Specialist Speakers Bureau...want to know more about communicating complexity, controversy and evidence. Hit me up!
specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
March 28, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Self promo klaxon....Delighted to be signed up to the Specialist Speakers Bureau...want to know more about communicating complexity, controversy and evidence. Hit me up!
specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
specialistspeakers.com/?p=16769
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Podcasters, YouTubers, influencers…these are not journalists. Some can be! But they’re in the tiny minority. We’ve sleepwalked into, well some have welcomed it, a far shittier world of spon con, financial conflicts and uncritical fluffing. The tragedy is ppl don’t even realise what they’ve lost.
March 20, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Podcasters, YouTubers, influencers…these are not journalists. Some can be! But they’re in the tiny minority. We’ve sleepwalked into, well some have welcomed it, a far shittier world of spon con, financial conflicts and uncritical fluffing. The tragedy is ppl don’t even realise what they’ve lost.
My and @mgtmccartney.bsky.social critical look at Zoe for both Unherd and The BMJ has sure had legs....
Great to see our work being cited in today's Economist
economist.com/britain/2025...
Great to see our work being cited in today's Economist
economist.com/britain/2025...
ZOE, a British personal-nutrition app, is growing fast
But does it actually work?
economist.com
March 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
My and @mgtmccartney.bsky.social critical look at Zoe for both Unherd and The BMJ has sure had legs....
Great to see our work being cited in today's Economist
economist.com/britain/2025...
Great to see our work being cited in today's Economist
economist.com/britain/2025...
Great talking to academics at LSE about how researchers can work with journalists to hold health systems, companies, policy makers etc to account. Research + investigative journalism can drive change in policy & practice. But how you do it in a rapidly changing media landscape?
January 29, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Great talking to academics at LSE about how researchers can work with journalists to hold health systems, companies, policy makers etc to account. Research + investigative journalism can drive change in policy & practice. But how you do it in a rapidly changing media landscape?
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Gender dysphoria and the background to a puberty blocker drug trial for children. And what is equipoise anyway ??
Detailed and v helpful explainer by @debscohen.bsky.social
Detailed and v helpful explainer by @debscohen.bsky.social
My first for the BBC for a while.
I look at key methodological & ethical considerations about NHS puberty blocker trial for children w gender dysphoria. Is there equipoise? Will a placebo arm be feasible? It’s one of the most challenging clinical issues imaginable
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I look at key methodological & ethical considerations about NHS puberty blocker trial for children w gender dysphoria. Is there equipoise? Will a placebo arm be feasible? It’s one of the most challenging clinical issues imaginable
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Puberty blockers: Can a drug trial solve the big debate?
The government has pledged to determine the evidence - and establish whether the benefits outweigh any potential harms of prescribing puberty blockers to children questioning their gender
www.bbc.co.uk
January 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Gender dysphoria and the background to a puberty blocker drug trial for children. And what is equipoise anyway ??
Detailed and v helpful explainer by @debscohen.bsky.social
Detailed and v helpful explainer by @debscohen.bsky.social
Reposted by Deb Cohen
Had a few DMs from people sharing experiences of false positives with unnecessary & anxiety inducing clinical cascade. Asymptomatic people having ECGs leading to A&E attendances; nervous weeks off work to explore incidentalomas. But we tend to hear the stories about how this test saved my life
Spotify's Daniel Ek's latest tech is Neko Health. Its full body scans a "health check for your future self".
Tech enthusiasts are applying mechanistic thinking to complexities of the body. But it's not so simple.
@mgtmccartney.bsky.social and and me for @unherd.com
unherd.com/2025/01/the-...
January 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Had a few DMs from people sharing experiences of false positives with unnecessary & anxiety inducing clinical cascade. Asymptomatic people having ECGs leading to A&E attendances; nervous weeks off work to explore incidentalomas. But we tend to hear the stories about how this test saved my life