Research integrity and publication ethics editor, The BMJ. Talk Evidence podcaster. Rapid Recommendations co-creator. Former GP. My views
Bath, England
Joined May 2011
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Helen Macdonald retweeted
Our group has developed an inventory of all estimates of minimal important differences for all patient-reported outcomes known to humankind and rated the credibility of each MID. We are keen to work with anyone interested in using the fruits of our work. doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
In the October episode of the #TalkEvidence podcast, the team discuss the efficacy of lateral flows, the covid inquiry, and what new research tells us about how clinician burnout affects patient outcomes
@drhelmac @juan_francomd @jsross119
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcas…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
How should we deal with content published many years ago that may now be offensive or harmful?
BMJ aims to acknowledge offence or harm while preserving the scientific record, write @KamranAbbasi, @drhelmac, and @s_ragavooloo
bmj.com/content/378/bmj.o182… @bmj_company
Helen Macdonald retweeted
"There was never a more important time to be evidence based, patient centred, open, and courageous. These are The BMJ's values, and we will live by them to improve the health of people and the planet"
Thank you for each and every warm welcome
@bmj_latest
bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n308…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
How much difference does it make to open the windows?
Wear a mask?
What if we're eating?
Questions we've all been asking about covid - hoping to help answer them with this new tool:
bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2021…
@d_spiegel @CathNoakes @harryrutter @will_s_t
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Our graphics to illustrate the potential benefits and potential harms of the AstraZeneca vaccine as announced by the MHRA this afternoon.
Benefits accrued over 16 weeks, at three different levels of exposure to the virus.
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Risks of false positives in school testing with Innova
Innova testing of asymptomatics in England has very low rates of test positivity at the moment (0.3%). The lower this figure gets, the more likely a positive result is to be a false positive than a true positive.
1/7
Helen Macdonald retweeted
We are reversing our decision to charge for placing a BMJ obituary. We have listened to readers and recognise and apologise for any upset caused. blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/02/23… @bmj_latest @bmj_company
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Please join @drkathrynmannix @alansteinoxford & Greg Wise discussing the importance of talking to children about illness & death
How can we make these seemingly impossible conversations possible?
Wed 24th Feb 2021 at 5pm livestream.com/oxuni/communi……
@OxfordMedSci
@OxPsychiatry
Helen Macdonald retweeted
This is a pretty fair assessment of what is known and what is unknown about Lateral Flow Tests used in the UK.
post.parliament.uk/mass-test…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
I'm rather concerned by the inability of Test-and-Trace to explain the diagnostic accuracy of the lateral flow test. This was the statement about the performance of Innova in the School Handbook sent out by Test-and-Trace before Xmas.
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Excellent summary of what we do and don't know about asymptomatic transmission (mostly about what we don't know!). Good work teasing this all out @AllysonPollock
Asymptomatic transmission of covid-19 bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m485…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
What was the sensitivity and how many false positives were there from Mass Testing of University students?
Results from University of Birmingham and Universities in Scotland don’t make good reading.
SENSITIVITY 3% (not a typo)
42% of Innova positives were FALSE POSITIVES
1/15
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Help @NHSuk primary care save lives. The full cost of delivering a rapid, comprehensive, and successful vaccination programme should be provided promptly - else no point having developed a vaccine - important @bmj_latest editorial and thread from @Azeem_Majeed @Imperial_PCPH @
My editorial in @bmj_latest discusses the logistics of Covid-19 vaccination, the most important public health programme in the history of the NHS and an intervention that is essential for the future health, wellbeing and economic security of the UK. bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m465… 1/12
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Terrific thread on the systematic review with the most one-sided findings in history. EVERY study found payments from industry were associated with physician prescribing of the more $$$ promoted drugs. No further study needed. Just action to preclude these payments to physicians
"Are Financial Payments From the Pharmaceutical Industry Associated With Physician Prescribing?"
Our latest on physician-industry COI is out today in @AnnalsofIM!
Not to bury the lede, the answer is "yes."
Thread to follow.
acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/…
1/
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Our Covid-19 Task Force comments on the importance of scientific scrutiny of Covid-19 tests
Helen Macdonald retweeted
This is blockbuster from @WHO: 'Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay. @medrxivpreprint medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
Helen Macdonald retweeted
Calling all science/health journalists, press officers and those trying to communicate health research:
Delighted to announce the launch of RealRisk, @d_spiegel and the Winton Centre's tool to help you get your numbers across clearly and accurately.
realrisk.wintoncentre.uk
Helen Macdonald retweeted
100 years of women receiving degrees @UniofOxford - it's hard to imagine a world where women, who were attending the same tutorials & lectures, & submitted the same volume of assessment, were not "worthy" of a degree. Grateful for the trailblazers & proud to be here 100 years on
Today marks 100 years since the first women were formally admitted to Oxford. To celebrate this milestone, we are launching ‘Women Making History: 100 years of Oxford degrees for women’. bit.ly/WomensCentenary #WomenAtOxford
Helen Macdonald retweeted
'We should be under no illusions; appraisal within a regulatory framework is not a medical consultation, a coaching session, or an informal chat', write @mgtmccartney and @VictoriaTzB in this month's editorial on appraisal, wellbeing, and pandemics doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X71269…