Mun-Keat Looi
@munkeatlooi.bsky.social
International News & Features Editor @bmj.com
Journalism lecturer, @Imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social
Japanophile, #MUFC. Views mine
Public Health
40%
Medicine
22%
Can India fix its flagship universal health insurance programme?
India’s federal health insurance scheme was meant to deliver comprehensive coverage to millions. But it’s been plagued by fraud, poor service, and delays in payments. Kamala Thiagarajan reports
In 20...
www.bmj.com
And it wouldn’t be a year reflection without at least one mention of Kamala Thiagarajan. I really enjoyed her piece on the exploitation of India’s attempt to provide universal health insurance. www.bmj.com/content/391/...
And that’s a wrap!
And that’s a wrap!
Luke Taylor writes a LOT of great news for us, but his narrative feature skills are first rate and I was really happy to publish his piece on teen pregnancies in Brazil www.bmj.com/content/389/...
The resident physicians losing out after private firms took over their hospitals
More and more US hospitals are being bought by private equity firms. Sudden closures and layoffs are having a devastating effect on resident doctors’ careers, reports Paige Huffman
Liz Calhoun was h...
www.bmj.com
Paige Huffman did several terrific pieces for us, but if pressed to pick one, I’d say this piece on how the increasing private takeover of hospitals is hurting the training of doctors in the US. www.bmj.com/content/388/...
Obesity: can we cure our dependence on BMI?
Obesity remains defined by the flawed metric at the heart of its diagnosis—BMI. Carla Delgado reports on the fresh attempts to move away from this, as weight loss drugs usher in a new age for the obes...
www.bmj.com
Carla Delgado’s fantastic explainer–this year of all years–of where we’re at with the age old question of BMI’s worth as a metric for obesity, and now a benchmark for whether you get your weight loss drug.
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
Inside the movement to elect a woman as UN secretary general
In its 80 year history, the United Nations has been exclusively ruled by men. A growing movement is calling for women’s leadership of the international body to help bring about reform and strengthen g...
www.bmj.com
My colleague @jocalynclark.bsky.social’s take on the race to be the next UN Director General–and why it must be a woman.
www.bmj.com/content/388/...
www.bmj.com/content/388/...
How Trump’s trade war will break global medicine supply chains
The supply chains that deliver drugs to patients around the world are surprisingly brittle. Donald Trump’s trade war—with both allies and rivals—could break them. Flynn Murphy reports
When hurricane ...
www.bmj.com
Flynn Murphy ahead of the curve with a breakdown of why the, ahem, breakdown of US-China relations puts the global medicine supply chain on a knife edge.
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
www.bmj.com/content/389/...
Health insurers grapple with UnitedHealthcare murder—and a public short on sympathy
Headlines expressed shock and condemnation of the killing of a health insurance executive in New York. But public comment has been very different. Owen Dyer reports
One should not speak ill of the de...
www.bmj.com
Owen Dyer’s compelling explainer of what the United healthcare murder says about the US’s relationship with insurers.
www.bmj.com/content/388/...
www.bmj.com/content/388/...
Ozempic v Mounjaro: what is the difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide?
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) are the two leading GLP-1 drugs for combating obesity. But how do they compare? Katharine Lang reports
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-...
www.bmj.com
Katharine Lang was again rightfully nominated for journalism awards this year and a string of insightful and easy to read explainers show why. It’s hard to pick just one but probably the one I refer people to most is What is the difference between Ozempic and Mounjaro? www.bmj.com/content/388/...
Who will pay for these miraculous new medical therapies?
Many high risk, high reward medical therapies that use cutting edge science are proving themselves in clinical trials. But are health services ready to pay for them—and how? Marianne Guenot reports
O...
www.bmj.com
@marianneguenot.bsky.social explaining Who will pay for the miraculous new medical treatments www.bmj.com/content/389/...
Huntington’s disease: new gene therapy explained
A gene therapy trial claims to show promising results for patients with Huntington’s disease. A press announcement of the experimental treatment suggests significant slowing of the disease over three ...
www.bmj.com
and a must read is her piece on palliative care in Uganda and why it is now keeping pace with more developed countries like the US. www.bmj.com/content/390/...
emails.bmj.com
Yemisi Bokinni had several pieces of note this year. I really enjoyed her explainer (with exclusive interview) on the miraculous Huntingdon’s cure that made headlines. emails.bmj.com/c/1g46FcE0FD...
Chris Whitty: Why health misinformation spreads—and honesty about uncertainty is the answer
England’s chief medical officer said in a recent lecture that misinformation has always accompanied medical progress—and that the battle is winnable if we can talk honestly about uncertainty
“Through...
www.bmj.com
My summary of an insightful, empathetic speech from UK Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty. www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Acting on uncertainty: what to do when we have incomplete evidence
In an era where pandemics and rapidly evolving technologies dominate public discourse, the role of evidence based action has never been more vital. Adam Kucharski , author of the new book Proof , tell...
www.bmj.com
My conversation with the ever brilliant @adamjkucharski.bsky.social (read his book Proof, it’s great!) www.bmj.com/content/390/...
How attacking healthcare has become a strategy of war
Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan have put a spotlight on attacks on healthcare facilities and staff in conflict zones. The BMJ looks at the data, which seem to show a new strategy of war: removing civilians’ ...
www.bmj.com
How attacking healthcare has become a strategy of war by my amazing colleagues Will Stahl-Timmins, @emahase.bsky.social, with help from our intern Madeline Hutcheson www.bmj.com/content/391/...
(I have a co-byline on this but the core was Will and Elisabeth!)
(I have a co-byline on this but the core was Will and Elisabeth!)
Will the new FDA fix the old FDA?
Donald Trump’s government vowed to fix longstanding problems with the Food and Drug Administration. Almost a year into Trump’s second term, how is the FDA faring? Jeanne Lenzer and Shannon Brownlee re...
www.bmj.com
Two things that really encapsulate the year: chaos in US agencies and attacks on hospitals in war and conflict zones.
Will the new FDA fix the old FDA? By Jeanne Lenzer and Shannon Brownlee
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Will the new FDA fix the old FDA? By Jeanne Lenzer and Shannon Brownlee
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Reposted by Robert C. Richards
Why even toy shops sell tourniquets in Ukraine
Tourniquets are playing an unprecedented role in the ongoing war in Ukraine, with lasting consequences for Ukrainian society. Nataliia Bushkovska reports
The National Health Service of Ukraine told m...
www.bmj.com
and Nataliia Bushkovska’s ongoing reporting from Ukraine where tourniquets are now sold in toy shops.
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Heatwaves: how air pollution is worsening effects on health
The year has seen record temperatures in many countries. Heat combined with air pollution is a health emergency that requires new approaches from doctors. Christine Ro reports
Around the world, heat ...
www.bmj.com
Two really important and fascinating stories I felt should have had more attention: Christine Ro’s piece on how air pollution is contributing to the heatwaves we’ve seen this year, www.bmj.com/content/390/...
Polarisation in medicine: how can we better engage with people who disagree with us?
Silos have formed in a range of debates in medicine. We need to work together to move beyond this polarisation, writes Elspeth Davies
### Biography
Elspeth Davies is a senior researcher at the Univ...
www.bmj.com
Of critical importance this year was @elspethdavies.bsky.social look at polarisation in medicines and how we can possibly hope to get back to more understanding in scientific debate. www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Why can’t we do anything about delirium?
Tens of thousands of NHS patients will develop delirium—and an alarming proportion die after the illness. Yet few people talk about it. Chris Stokel-Walker explores why
My grandad had always said he ...
www.bmj.com
and a very personal piece asking why delirium is still so ignored despite a worsening crisis. www.bmj.com/content/391/...
What is the evidence for school smartphone bans?
Across the world, schools are banning smartphones. Chris Stokel-Walker investigates what evidence exists for and against such restrictions
There are certain health maxims we know and trust, that have...
www.bmj.com
@stokel.bsky.social remains one of our most prolific, reliable and delightful journalists to work with. I’m particularly proud of two important pieces I did with him: an explainer on the real evidence behind smartphone bans in schools, www.bmj.com/content/390/...
Why scientists are rethinking the immune effects of SARS-CoV-2
“Immunity debt,” a theory to explain the global surge in non-covid infections since pandemic restrictions were lifted, is increasingly being challenged by emerging evidence. Nick Tsergas reports
Myco...
www.bmj.com
@nicktsergas.ca’s fascinating piece on “immunity theft” or why what we think we know about the lockdowns of the covid-19 pandemic reducing our immunity to other diseases is possibly wrong.
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
www.bmj.com/content/390/...
It has been a BUSY and baffling year. One of superflu, doctors strikes and of course Donald Trump/RFK JR. But as always, the highlight is the many brilliant stories from the many talented freelance journalists and writers I get to work with:
Editor wrapped 2025
I believe we now call these end of year round ups ‘wrapped’ posts.
open.substack.com
I believe we now call these end of year round ups ‘wrapped’ posts.
open.substack.com/pub/munkeatl...
open.substack.com/pub/munkeatl...
19 States Sue to Block White House Plan to End Gender-Related Care for Minors
www.nytimes.com
19 States Sue to Block White House Plan to End Gender-Related Care for Minors www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
Is the NHS the main loser in the US-UK drug agreement? buff.ly/ZVpOfLu
Formula milk: US retailers failed to remove recalled products after botulism outbreak, says FDA buff.ly/98x8bS4
French anaesthetist who poisoned 30, killing 12, is jailed for life
buff.ly
French anaesthetist who poisoned 30, killing 12, is jailed for life buff.ly/qGgnymm
What is society doing to young doctors?
buff.ly
What is society doing to young doctors? buff.ly/ktNQ4uB
US awards no-bid contract to Denmark scientists studying hepatitis B vaccine in African babies
The Trump administration has awarded a $1.6 million, no-bid contract a Danish university to study hepatitis B vaccinations on newborns in Africa.
apnews.com
apnews.com/article/hepa...
US awards no-bid contract to Denmark scientists studying hepatitis B vaccine in African babies
US awards no-bid contract to Denmark scientists studying hepatitis B vaccine in African babies
Pam Bondi Dismissed Charges Against a Surgeon Who Falsified Vaccine Cards. It Emboldened Others With Similar Cases.
A Utah surgeon’s victory in a vaccine fraud case has encouraged other “medical freedom” advocates to consider seeking leniency for similar charges. “This undermines every layer of the system that prot...
www.propublica.org
The US Justice Department dismissed charges against a surgeon who falsified vaccine cards. It emboldened others with similar cases.
www.propublica.org/article/pam-...
www.propublica.org/article/pam-...