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Reposted by Ally Brown

Steve Senior @stevensenior.bsky.social · 16h

Hot take: we should lower the £/QALY threshold, not increase it.

Jack Serle @jackserle.bsky.social · 17h

“There is a fixed budget and these are all trade-offs.” Evergreen statement on policy formulation.

This time from Lord Vallance on medicines pricing row between DHSC and HMT.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Billions more to be spent on medicine as Keir Starmer rips up rules

NHS chiefs and Treasury at loggerheads over who will pay pharmaceutical companies more money for the most up-to-date and effective medicines

www.thetimes.com

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Ally Brown @allybrown.bsky.social · 18h

Size is already a matter of class (but I fully agree this makes it even more
so)

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Science, Technology, & Human Values @sthv.bsky.social · 1d

What timing! The "planetary health diet" has just been updated: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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Ally Brown @allybrown.bsky.social · 2d

That's a leaflet targeted at Ian, a Brit

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Ally Brown @allybrown.bsky.social · 4d

But we can call their policies racist.

Maybe don't need to personalise it about voters who we might charitably consider "low-info".

But policies and the people who set them - absolutely.

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Scott Santens @scottsantens.com · 5d

NEW systematic review of the evidence shows that raising incomes is how to reduce food insecurity. The evidence does not support food-based interventions as reducing food insecurity. Food retail subsidy programs and housing assistance programs don't ⬇️ food insecurity.

www.canada.ca/content/dam/...

Highlights

Household food insecurity is grow-ing in Canada and effective evidence-informed responses to this problem are badly needed.

Accountability in policy making is essential to ensure that scarce pub-lic funds are not allocated to initia-tives that lack evidence of impact.

Many policy interventions that increase the incomes of low-income households have been shown to reduce household food insecurity; there is no such evidence base for food-based interventions.

To increase accountability and incen-tivize effective, evidence-informed income interventions that address food insecurity, we propose that the federal government commit to reducing food insecurity by 50% and eliminating severe food inse-curity by 2030.

Implications for future policy responses

This is a time for reckoning. There is little to no evidence of food-based interven-tions having an impact on household food insecurity. Yet the fund-raising communi-cations of charitable and alternative food providers explicitly claim that they are addressing or preventing food insecurity (see, for example 18-20). Scholars have also commented on underlying corporatization as justifying food-based interventions. 21,22 Interdisciplinary research could reveal more about these dynamics, but surely the first step is to call out the incongruity of food-based interventions as a strategy for food insecurity reduction now that the absence of evidence has been revealed.

We believe that the related lack of accountability for the impact of recent investments in food charity (e.g. pan-demic-related federal programs23 and the ongoing Local Food Infrastructure Fund¹7) is part of the explanation for the persis-tently high prevalence of food insecurity in Canada. No government has seriously tried to reduce food insecurity.

Conclusion

As the problem of household food insecu-rity continues to grow, effective evidence-informed responses are badly needed. The systematic reviews of evidence compiled by PHAC provide an important foundation for such action. But the results of these evidence reviews also lay bare the need for accountability, so that no more public funds are wasted on initiatives with no evidence of impact under the guise of addressing food insecurity. We need tar-gets for food insecurity reduction and some accountability for policy interven-tions that come with significant public investments. Household food insecurity rates and the related adverse conse-quences are only going to get worse unless we address the inadequate and insecure incomes that are the primary driver of this population health problem.

is the effectiveness of federal and provin-cial policy interventions that modestly increase the incomes of Canadians living at low income, for example, Old Age Security pensions, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) and social assistance. Idzerda et al. concluded with moderate to high certainty that income supplementation reduces food insecurity, but they found no evi-dence that the assessed housing assis-tance programs and food retail subsidy programs had any impact.5 Their findings suggest that inadequate and insecure incomes are the primary driver of house-hold food insecurity and that income sup-port policies are key to reducing this population health problem.5

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Hannah Forde @hannahforde.bsky.social · 7d

Big news today: price or multibuy promotions on unhealthy food and drink (e.g. BOGOF deals) are now banned in England! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'Buy one, get one free' deals for unhealthy food banned in supermarkets

Crisps, sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks will be covered by restrictions starting in England.

www.bbc.co.uk

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JWexTheSpa @jwsidders.bsky.social · 9d

This is not open or tolerant. It's ridiculous. There is no positive policy justification here. It's just inflicting cruelty and hazard on people who want to contribute in order to appease the unappeasable. Morally wrong, politically stupid.

Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 9d

Mahmood says she will introduce new conditions for indefinite leave to remain:

Lived here 10 years not 5
Being in work
Not taking a penny in benefits
No criminal record
Giving back to community eg volunteering

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Commercial Determinants Research Group @cdoh-rg.bsky.social · 12d

Corporate profit is being prioritised over public health. Discover how corporate power is driving public health crises in the upcoming documentary, Unmasking Influence. #CDOH #CorporatePower @maizie333.bsky.social

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Thijs van Rens @tvanrens.bsky.social · 14d

If we don't measure it, then perhaps we can forget that 13.5% of the US population (in 2023) does not have consistent access to enough nutritionally adequate and safe food. That is 1 in 7 people! 😢

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Thijs van Rens @tvanrens.bsky.social · 14d

UNBELIEVABLE - USDA terminates 'redundant' Food Insecurity Survey, because it does "nothing more than fear monger" and "failed to present anything more than subjective, liberal fodder".
www.usda.gov/about-usda/n...

www.usda.gov

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Rob Ralston @policyrelevant.bsky.social · 14d

beyond healthcare, TBI's work on food systems / obesity is a another example of how AI is being promoted as a 'technological fix' to what is fundamentally a political problem

institute.global/insights/pub...

Fit for the Future: A Fair Deal on Food for a Healthier Britain

institute.global

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Sharon Greenwood @sharongreenwood.bsky.social · 15d

✨ Please repost!! ✨

Calling all qual researchers working in clinical trials! Can you help? Fill in a short questionnaire for my wonderful PhD student @ythqual.bsky.social. Any questions, give him a shout!

Yuan-Tao Huang @ythqual.bsky.social · 16d

Calling all UK Qualitative researchers working with Health-related Trials! We’d love your insights in a survey exploring your experience of the pace and timing of the qualitative research, as well as your experience of working with the trial team. 🔗 uofg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

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Gerry McCartney @gerrymccartney1.bsky.social · 15d

1/5 We have published a new article in Lancet Public Health on how a transition to a #WellbeingEconomy might impact positively on population health tinyurl.com/yc4w9xbd @mmbuchs.bsky.social

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Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 16d

What @eric-reinhart.com said. www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/t...

Trump’s health and the medicalization of American politics

Whether it’s Trump’s ankles or Biden’s gait, our leaders’ bodies have become sites for projection and speculation.

www.statnews.com

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Hannah Forde @hannahforde.bsky.social · 16d

We're are now accepting applications for an exciting DPhil at the @oxprimarycare.bsky.social, *FUNDED* by the THRIVING Food Futures research hub!
The project is about divisive policies, supervised by me, Dr Rachel Pechey @petescarbs.bsky.social @ashakaur.bsky.social
lnkd.in/eezGaZZ3
Pls share! ✨

Crowd-pleasers or food fights? Exploring UK public support and objection to divisive policies that aim to reduce the environmental harm caused by the food system

www.phc.ox.ac.uk

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Scottish Health Equity Research Unit @scothealtheq.bsky.social · 21d

🏡 Our new report: what role can Scottish housing policy play in reducing health inequalities? See here: scothealthequity.org/raising-the-...

Raising the roof: can Scotland’s Housing to 2040 Strategy help as an approach to reduce health inequalities? - Scottish Health Equity Research Unit

Can Scotland’s Housing to 2040 Strategy help as an approach to reduce health inequalities?

scothealthequity.org

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Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 22d

"it’s material deprivation, not social diversity, that threatens to tear the social fabric. Perhaps it’s harder to have trust when you’re competing for resources. Whatever the cause, the solution seems to lie less in measures to limit immigration than in investment to tackle poverty and inequality"

Is there a trade-off between diversity and social cohesion? - Understanding Society

Material deprivation, not social diversity, threatens to stretch and tear the social fabric diversity and social cohesion

www.understandingsociety.ac.uk

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Tomas Hirst @tomashirstecon.bsky.social · 28d

From a thread yesterday - successive governments are (so far at least) positively selecting this as an acceptable tradeoff bsky.app/profile/toma...

Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 28d

New @trusselluk.bsky.social research: 14 million people face hunger due to lack of money. Big rise from 2022 (11.6 million people.)

More people from working households can’t afford essentials – now 3 in 10 referred to food banks in Trussell community.
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Kai Arzheimer @kai-arzheimer.com · 29d

#AcademicWriting be like

Screenshot of a tweet with the text, “Thanks everyone for comments on the draft, here it is revised with all your edits.” The image accompanying the tweet is a photograph of a pizza that is half traditional, and half topped with a roasted chicken and colorful candies

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Ed Burmila @edburmila.bsky.social · Sep 6

Tapping the sign

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Mike Daube @mikedaube.bsky.social · Sep 2

Good, careful review justifying calls for action on alcohol marketing – and also noting that in some areas such as sport and sporting events, gambling exposure and advertising were even more common than alcohol. As so often, predatory industries use similar strategies.

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Sep 2

🧵 New Public Health Scotland review finds alcohol marketing is pervasive & harmful.

Key takeaways ⬇️

📢 Alcohol ads are everywhere – from sport to supermarkets – with children & young people heavily exposed.

📊 Evidence is consistent: marketing drives...

publichealthscotland.scot/media/34628/...

publichealthscotland.scot

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Joe Noonan @joenoonan.bsky.social · Aug 9

‘Ursula von der Leyen announcing that Gaza’s civilians have suffered enough; Keir Starmer’s sudden realisation of what he calls “the pressing need for Israel to change course”: none of this is any more than a shift in rhetorical positioning, the striking of a pose of moral condemnation.’

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Ally Brown @allybrown.bsky.social · Aug 5

Hi @glasgowfpp.bsky.social @sustainweb.org @nourishscotland.bsky.social @foodfoundation.bsky.social please feel free to repost above (or original TFF post) to your followers who might be interested, cheers!

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Ally Brown @allybrown.bsky.social · Aug 5

At TFF we're setting up a network for ECRs interested in policy for a healthier, more sustainable food system. We think we can learn from and support each other, with workshops, collaborations and connections. Please see the link below and sign up if yr interested!

THRIVING Food Futures @thrivingfoodfuture.bsky.social · Jul 31

Our early career researchers have set up a network to support those working in #research related to healthy, sustainable, and equitable diets and food systems. Is that you? You can find out more on our website: www.phc.ox.ac.uk/research/res...

cc @betheveleigh.bsky.social @petescarbs.bsky.social

Early Career Network

www.phc.ox.ac.uk

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