Martin McKee
@martinmckee.bsky.social
Prof of European Public Health LSHTM
Co-Director European Observatory on Health Systems & Policy
Member Independent SAGE
Past President BMA & EUPHA
Committed to 🇬🇧 rejoining 🇪🇺
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/mckee.martin
Co-Director European Observatory on Health Systems & Policy
Member Independent SAGE
Past President BMA & EUPHA
Committed to 🇬🇧 rejoining 🇪🇺
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/mckee.martin
Actually quite a few examples. Maastricht, Zollverein (Essen), Lusatian Lake District (ex DDR), Ostrava (CZ), Sierra Minera (ES), and (loss of other industries) Kuopio (FI)
February 18, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Actually quite a few examples. Maastricht, Zollverein (Essen), Lusatian Lake District (ex DDR), Ostrava (CZ), Sierra Minera (ES), and (loss of other industries) Kuopio (FI)
I also find it incomprehensible. However, recall what Stalin is believed to have said "One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic". It will be many millions
February 17, 2026 at 3:24 PM
I also find it incomprehensible. However, recall what Stalin is believed to have said "One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic". It will be many millions
Reposted by Martin McKee
And yet another example of an abject failure by the Home Office to ask those affected by their idiotic decisions. While people can enter and leave the UK/EU on different passports, they do need to have the same names on return tickets.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
New UK border rules for dual nationals are discriminatory against women, campaigners say
British women in Spain and Greece face ‘huge problems’ entering UK because of differing surname rules
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 3:04 PM
And yet another example of an abject failure by the Home Office to ask those affected by their idiotic decisions. While people can enter and leave the UK/EU on different passports, they do need to have the same names on return tickets.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Don’t know… my generation has done so much damage (like Brexit) and many seem to have lost their critical faculties, swallowing utter garbage online. I’d be willing to sacrifice my access for the good of future generations
February 16, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Don’t know… my generation has done so much damage (like Brexit) and many seem to have lost their critical faculties, swallowing utter garbage online. I’d be willing to sacrifice my access for the good of future generations
Almost fell off my seat. England adopting well-established practice from a continental European country. Whatever next? Decent pensions, quality childcare?
February 16, 2026 at 12:47 PM
Almost fell off my seat. England adopting well-established practice from a continental European country. Whatever next? Decent pensions, quality childcare?
I’ve had two as well. Obviously they have absolutely no idea about my work! Perhaps should emulate @mikedaube.bsky.social , who enabled his dog, Dr Olivia Doll, to get onto boards of predatory journals to expose their tactics
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Medical science goes to the dogs - ABC listen
A Perth professor duped editors of a number of medical journals by turning his pet dog into Dr Olivia Doll and making up her academic profile. The exercise was designed to expose sham medical journals...
www.abc.net.au
February 16, 2026 at 7:50 AM
I’ve had two as well. Obviously they have absolutely no idea about my work! Perhaps should emulate @mikedaube.bsky.social , who enabled his dog, Dr Olivia Doll, to get onto boards of predatory journals to expose their tactics
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Many of us have been highly critical to cuts to US development assistance, yet a new report from @cgdev.org reveals that cuts by U.K. have been even deeper. What on earth is going on?
www.cgdev.org/blog/uk-aid-...
www.cgdev.org/blog/uk-aid-...
UK Aid Cuts Now Deeper than the US After Congress Pushes Back
The US Congress has just passed its Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill. The bill includes much of the international affairs budget and—while there’s no guarantee these funds will be fully spent by the adm...
www.cgdev.org
February 16, 2026 at 7:45 AM
Many of us have been highly critical to cuts to US development assistance, yet a new report from @cgdev.org reveals that cuts by U.K. have been even deeper. What on earth is going on?
www.cgdev.org/blog/uk-aid-...
www.cgdev.org/blog/uk-aid-...
Fully agree. Got it for Christmas. As someone who has traveled across them all, going back to Interrail in 1970s (or as a child in Belfast), I really enjoyed it. Indeed, many played an important part in my career. Meticulously researched and I learned a lot.
February 15, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Fully agree. Got it for Christmas. As someone who has traveled across them all, going back to Interrail in 1970s (or as a child in Belfast), I really enjoyed it. Indeed, many played an important part in my career. Meticulously researched and I learned a lot.
Meanwhile, he writes out of history the 200,000 British Empire troops who died in WW2
February 15, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Meanwhile, he writes out of history the 200,000 British Empire troops who died in WW2
Reposted by Martin McKee
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski just schooled Czech Deputy Prime Minister Petr Macinka into accepting that the European Union operates as a democracy.
Populists have nowhere to hide when met with hard facts.
An extraordinary exchange. Well worth a watch.
Populists have nowhere to hide when met with hard facts.
An extraordinary exchange. Well worth a watch.
February 14, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski just schooled Czech Deputy Prime Minister Petr Macinka into accepting that the European Union operates as a democracy.
Populists have nowhere to hide when met with hard facts.
An extraordinary exchange. Well worth a watch.
Populists have nowhere to hide when met with hard facts.
An extraordinary exchange. Well worth a watch.
Reposted by Martin McKee
The main argument against rejoining the EU is that it would "embolden Farage".
Bullshit. It would expose Farage.
It would force him to oppose the majority of voters, remind them that his last "Great Crusader" left us poor and powerless, and force him to admit he wants us to remain that way.
Bullshit. It would expose Farage.
It would force him to oppose the majority of voters, remind them that his last "Great Crusader" left us poor and powerless, and force him to admit he wants us to remain that way.
February 14, 2026 at 7:14 PM
The main argument against rejoining the EU is that it would "embolden Farage".
Bullshit. It would expose Farage.
It would force him to oppose the majority of voters, remind them that his last "Great Crusader" left us poor and powerless, and force him to admit he wants us to remain that way.
Bullshit. It would expose Farage.
It would force him to oppose the majority of voters, remind them that his last "Great Crusader" left us poor and powerless, and force him to admit he wants us to remain that way.
We know they don’t as they can take it away from us at a whim …
February 13, 2026 at 8:41 PM
We know they don’t as they can take it away from us at a whim …
If this had been 40 years ago it could have been me, as a junior doctor who often hadn’t slept for a week. There are lots of essential workers who have every reason to look exhausted at 8 am
February 13, 2026 at 8:40 PM
If this had been 40 years ago it could have been me, as a junior doctor who often hadn’t slept for a week. There are lots of essential workers who have every reason to look exhausted at 8 am
Yes, as far as I understand it, it’s just if you are a UK citizen but only have the passport of your other nationality. I can see that you might need to link it in their database but can’t see why that should cost more than a few pounds (if even that).
February 13, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Yes, as far as I understand it, it’s just if you are a UK citizen but only have the passport of your other nationality. I can see that you might need to link it in their database but can’t see why that should cost more than a few pounds (if even that).
Yes. My comment was really about the ridiculously high charge, which is new. On principle I’ve always believed that everyone should have as many nationalities as they can, just to highlight how nationality is such an arbitrary concept
February 13, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Yes. My comment was really about the ridiculously high charge, which is new. On principle I’ve always believed that everyone should have as many nationalities as they can, just to highlight how nationality is such an arbitrary concept
2/ Not just the Brexit queues for the concern that, if anything bad should happen to us, the UK would do virtually nothing to help (or, as Boris did, make it much worse). Simply compare John McCarthy & Brian Keenan in Lebanon.
February 13, 2026 at 3:54 PM
2/ Not just the Brexit queues for the concern that, if anything bad should happen to us, the UK would do virtually nothing to help (or, as Boris did, make it much worse). Simply compare John McCarthy & Brian Keenan in Lebanon.
1/ Fortunately, as someone who travels on an Irish passport, I'm (so far) exempt from this ludicrously high charge. But worth reflecting on why so many of us, with dual nationality, chose not to use our UK one.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Dual nationals to be denied entry to UK from 25 February unless they have British passport
New border controls require ‘certificate of entitlement’ to attach to second nationality passport that costs £589
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:54 PM
1/ Fortunately, as someone who travels on an Irish passport, I'm (so far) exempt from this ludicrously high charge. But worth reflecting on why so many of us, with dual nationality, chose not to use our UK one.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
9/ The goal must not be “more AI” but better health. We need to ask:
* Does the task add value
* Can AI perform the task
* and then, should AI perform the task
All three are important
* Does the task add value
* Can AI perform the task
* and then, should AI perform the task
All three are important
February 13, 2026 at 2:13 PM
9/ The goal must not be “more AI” but better health. We need to ask:
* Does the task add value
* Can AI perform the task
* and then, should AI perform the task
All three are important
* Does the task add value
* Can AI perform the task
* and then, should AI perform the task
All three are important
8/ Governance must be grounded in human rights. The Oviedo Convention holds that the human being takes precedence over science or society. The EU AI Act reinforces this with a risk‑based regulatory framework.
February 13, 2026 at 2:13 PM
8/ Governance must be grounded in human rights. The Oviedo Convention holds that the human being takes precedence over science or society. The EU AI Act reinforces this with a risk‑based regulatory framework.
7/ AI also brings risks:
• Reproducing historical biases
• Widening digital divides
• Concentration of power among a few tech giants
• Environmental impacts from massive AI facilities
• Reproducing historical biases
• Widening digital divides
• Concentration of power among a few tech giants
• Environmental impacts from massive AI facilities
February 13, 2026 at 2:13 PM
7/ AI also brings risks:
• Reproducing historical biases
• Widening digital divides
• Concentration of power among a few tech giants
• Environmental impacts from massive AI facilities
• Reproducing historical biases
• Widening digital divides
• Concentration of power among a few tech giants
• Environmental impacts from massive AI facilities
6/ Keeping a Human-in-the-loop is essential. AI offers probability, clinicians offer judgement. Without proper training, automation bias can lead to over‑trusting machine outputs.
February 13, 2026 at 2:13 PM
6/ Keeping a Human-in-the-loop is essential. AI offers probability, clinicians offer judgement. Without proper training, automation bias can lead to over‑trusting machine outputs.
5/ Where AI can add real value today:
• Diagnostics & precision medicine
• Public health forecasting
• Drug discovery
• Operational efficiency
However, health care often involves high stakes, so we need regulatory safeguards
• Diagnostics & precision medicine
• Public health forecasting
• Drug discovery
• Operational efficiency
However, health care often involves high stakes, so we need regulatory safeguards
February 13, 2026 at 2:13 PM
5/ Where AI can add real value today:
• Diagnostics & precision medicine
• Public health forecasting
• Drug discovery
• Operational efficiency
However, health care often involves high stakes, so we need regulatory safeguards
• Diagnostics & precision medicine
• Public health forecasting
• Drug discovery
• Operational efficiency
However, health care often involves high stakes, so we need regulatory safeguards