Opinions

Sunday, 14 November marked World Diabetes Day, and this year’s theme was ‘ACCESS TO DIABETES CARE: IF NOT NOW, WHEN?’ 

It’s now been over 18 months since our first lockdown here in the UK. I think we can all agree it’s been a challenging time, and of course it has& ;been harder for some than others. But rather than look back at all the things that we’ve missed out on or lost, let’s take a look at some of the things we’ve learnt during these odd times, and things that we would like to keep doing in the post-pandemic world!

The opportunity to be more remote

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is the most common inflammatory skin disease in the world, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 20%.¹ It is an autoimmune condition characterized by intensely itchy skin lesions.  

It’s a phenomenon that is seen in all sorts of situations, from comedy panel shows to government summits and medical congresses. In fact, all-male panels are such a common occurrence they’ve even been given their own name: the manel. 

The manel, or its brother the manference, is often a consequence of oversight, rather than a purposeful planning decision. It takes time and effort to ensure a diverse speaker line-up, but broadening the perspectives brought into a discussion creates space for fresh viewpoints and more engaging debates.

The pharmaceutical industry gets a lot of bad press. Much of it is admittedly deserved; when you are in the business of putting stuff into people’s bodies, the slightest unethical behaviour must be dealt with, rapidly and transparently.  

A dream of science fiction writers until a few decades ago, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our existence, with a particularly prominent role in healthcare – as a tool to both manage and analyse information and to assist diagnosis and follow-up in several therapy areas. Its involvement in medical writing was therefore bound to be the next natural step. 

Medicine moves quickly when it has to. In my previous post I mentioned clinical trials of DOACs for patients with COVID-19, but we already know that this approach is proving to be futile. We’ve seen the spectre of blood clots appear as a side effect from the vaccine, and we now think we know how they occur.

How to mitigate Zoom fatigue

Back at the start of 2020 I had never heard of Zoom. If I had to join a meeting remotely, I would ask the host to dial me in. At a push I’d use Skype, but I would never, ever, turn on my video!

But then a year ago, if I joined a meeting remotely, I’d often miss half the conversation, all the whiteboard action, and spend most of the time asking people to repeat what they said.

Coagulation and COVID-19 – Part 1

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused immense human and economic suffering. It has also inspired some remarkable scientific and medical achievements. We have seen the development and rollout of an effective vaccine in record time, and the RECOVERY trial, with its adaptive design and simplified procedures, is an innovative approach to rapid yet rigorous testing of potential COVID-19 treatments.

On Christmas Day I received an email. It was addressed to my 7-year-old son, and it told him that his coronavirus test was positive. 

There were mixed emotions. I was amused at the thought of this strange Christmas present. I was also relieved – ever since his school had closed a day early the previous week because a teacher had tested positive we’d been living with uncertainty. Although a little scary, the knowledge we now had was reassuring.