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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · 2d

Apply by 30th October for Academic Infectious Diseases Training in London.

If you are thinking of applying to the @lshtm.bsky.social posts then get in touch with the scheme lead - me!

Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · 6d

Applications open for Infectious Diseases Academic Clinical Fellowships.

Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.

If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.

KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.

SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1

url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · 6d

Applications open for Infectious Diseases Academic Clinical Fellowships.

Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.

If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.

KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.

SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1

url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com

Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · 13d

Interested in a global health PhD?
The LSHTM-Wellcome Trust Create PhD scheme will open shortly:
www.create-phd.org

Open to UK registered health-care professionals inc. doctors, nurses & allied-health professionals.

If you want advice or support with an application I'd be happy to discuss.

HOME | CREATE PhD Programme

PhD Programme for Africa Health Research, providing fellowships for UK and African researchers. A consortium of 5 UK and 6 African partner institutions, including LSHTM, KCL, SGUL, QMUL, BSMS, Zambart...

www.create-phd.org

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Reposted by Michael Marks

BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 14d

Ever since I learned about this study enrolling I have been eagerly awaiting the results. Researchers in Uganda took a centuries-old cultural practice mothers carrying babies on their backs in cloth wraps and turned it into a public health tool. You got to love it!
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Permethrin-Treated Baby Wraps for the Prevention of Malaria | NEJM

Malaria remains a major cause of childhood death in sub-Saharan Africa. We leveraged the traditional practice of mothers carrying children on their backs in cloth wraps to assess whether treating t...

www.nejm.org

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Reposted by Michael Marks

Sarah Alexander @sarah1alexander.bsky.social · 27d

The @ukhsa.bsky.social STI Reference Lab has identified a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which evades detection on the Cepheid Xpert CT/GC Assay.

Read more in our eurosurveillance article

www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...

Detection and characterisation of Xpert CT/NG assay Neisseria gonorrhoeae diagnostic escape mutants, England, June 2025

We report the timely detection of a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which was confirmed as a diagnostic escape mutant on the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG assay in England in June 2025. The reason for assay failure was a likely recombination event with Neisseria meningitidis, which removed both assay target sites. Seven historical putative Xpert CT/NG assay diagnostic escape mutants were also identified following subsequent in silico screening of gonococcal genome collections, but currently there is no evidence of widespread circulation.

www.eurosurveillance.org

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Reposted by Michael Marks

Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Sep 3

In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.

These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.

You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9

forms.gle

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Sep 4

This was already defined. There had been multiple trials of increased dosing for early syphilis. Im not sure any alternative will be as good as BPG - 100% effective, single dose, <$1 (more if you want Bicillin but still cheap).

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Sep 4

My understanding having spoken with investigators is that despite 50+ years evidence 1 dose BPG is sufficient for early syphilis, many US non specialist doctors use 3 doses. Was felt trial might convince them.
Results 100% predictable & won't change care outside of US as it confirms what we knew.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Sep 3

In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.

These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.

You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9

forms.gle

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

Finally it remains perpetually true that new drugs are exciting and head line grabbing (see the cancer drug fund literally invented to pay for drugs NICE deemed not cost effective) And fixing primary care is hard and difficult and would be enormously more beneficial at a population level.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

The best I think you could say is that in the 20-50 year time frame that IF generics come in the cost per QALY of generics of new drugs may be favourable.

As I've said elsewhere the obvious solution is that we need to increase the scope of funding available so these tradeoffs aren't always needed.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

Thanks Shaun - I find your reporting quite balanced but I don't think generics matter that much as paper as has 20 year time window & generics barely enter the market within that window given the length of drug parents.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

I am to be honest a bit amazed at how much publicity Novartis have been able to get (not just at Times, the BBC ran a big piece on this as have others). They have such an obviously huge COI I can't see why anyone would take their statements as likely to be accurate.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

The cost per QALY for new drugs is miles above cost current interventions. Even if paper out by large amount it would still be case (on average) most expensive drugs don't generate more benefit than could have done elsewhere.

Generics totally moot as Novartis doesn't make nor wish to sell NHS any.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 31

The evidence on this pretty clear. See @thelancet.com showing introduction new (mostly $$$) drugs been a net loss in terms of health impact compared to spending money on proven interventions.

No shock head of a company making $ from selling drugs is in favour of more $ being spent on his drugs.

Population-health impact of new drugs recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in England during 2000–20: a retrospective analysis

During 2000–20, NHS coverage of new drugs displaced more population health than it generated. Our results highlight the inherent trade-offs between individuals who directly benefit from new drugs and ...

www.thelancet.com

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 28

Clinical academics take a large pay penalty. And the university sector is in free-fall which no government seems to be prepared to acknowledge or do anything meaningful about.

So I anticipate no urgent fix will be delivered and situation will continue to worsen.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 27

It is of course not NICEs role to decide how the health system as a whole makes investment decisions. But we must be clearer that spending on X means not spending on Y. Of course a clear part of the solution needs to be increasing the available budget so less of these trade offs are needed.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 27

Whenever I see stories like the below. I am reminded of the excellent paper @felly500.bsky.social shared from @thelancet.com www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... Showed that mostly expensive new drugs generate less impact than investing the same amount into other areas of health.

NHS to lose out on new drugs, pharma firm Novartis warns

The claims from pharmaceutical giant Novartis comes amid a row over drug pricing deals.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 21

Exited to announce 2 EDCTP consortiums led @lshtm.bsky.social w partners in Europe & West, East & Southern Africa

MAMS4CL will deliver seamless Phase 2-3 trial of treatments for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

IVMKIDS will provide data on paediatric dosing ivermectin down to 5kg/weight for STH & Scabies.

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Reposted by Michael Marks

Dr Roz Eggo @rozeggo.bsky.social · Jul 29

PhD position for January start with me and Neil Ferguson, doing some neat model development for ethnicity-stratified transmission models. Please get in touch with any questions.

Home fees (UK) only unfortunately.

IDDjobs @iddjobs.org · Jul 29

PhD position (London, UK)
Health inequalities in infectious disease transmission in the UK
with @rozeggo.bsky.social Neil Ferguson
at @cmmid_lshtm.bsky.social @LSHTM.bsky.social Imperial College London
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2343

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 15

Excited @lshtm.bsky.social Clinical Academic Training Programme renewed & expanding.

2026 Jobs:
ACFs (pre-PhD) in Infection, Paeds, Renal, Public Health, Primary Care, Ophthalmology

ACLs (post-PhD) in Infection, Paeds, Public Health, Primary Care.

If interested drop a message.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 8

Phenomenal piece of work by a great team across @mrcunitgambia.bsky.social @lshtm.bsky.social @sheffielduni.bsky.social - Delighted to have played a small part in combining epidemiology & immunology to shed light on what protection for #StrepA might look like & help advance vaccine development.

Alex Keeley @alexjkeeley.bsky.social · Aug 8

🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon

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#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Michael Marks

Alex Keeley @alexjkeeley.bsky.social · Aug 8

🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon

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#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.

www.nature.com

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 6

I dont think this is true for all in the NHS. As a consultant my London Weighting (Central London job) is ~2K and this is true for Resident Doctors too. Different perhaps for those on Agenda for Change.

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Michael Marks @drmichaelmarks.bsky.social · Aug 5

I'm going to be doing a 10K run for charity later this year on World AIDS day raising money for @thelovetankcic.bsky.social a fabulous UK sexual health community organisation.

Any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause gratefully received!

2025 World AIDS Day RED RUN - PrEPster

Help Michael Marks raise money to support Positive East

www.justgiving.com

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