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Ola Howell

@olahowell.bsky.social
726 followers 191 following 210 posts

NIHR doctoral fellow @ Uni of Oxford, Primary Care (IRAC & Bennett Institute) COPD rescue packs research BTS COPD SAG|PCRS Policy Portfolio pharmacist|ACP|mentor 🇬🇧🇵🇱 🫁🐈‍⬛🧘🏻‍♀️🏂🚴🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍🎓👩🏻‍🏫👩🏻‍🔧👩🏻‍🌾🎄🌊🏔️ #COPD #asthma #healthinequalities #polypharmacy #deprescribing #healthdata

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Reposted by Ola Howell
The Pharmaceutical Journal @pharmaj.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
*The evolving role of community pharmacy in smoking cessation* Uptake of the national pharmacy smoking cessation service remains low, but pharmacy teams could play a far greater role in helping people quit. Read the full feature below ⬇️ #smokingcessation #pharmacyservices buff.ly/2DCzMIo
pharmaceutical-journal.com
The evolving role of community pharmacy in smoking cessation
England is on a mission to become smoke-free. Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, expected to take effect in 2027, it will be illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January…
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
This is very bad. UK BioBank saying it’s not that bad is even badder… 👎 But the answer to data leaks risk already exists -> OpenSAFELY by @bennettoxford.bsky.social - SAFE and SECURE analytics platform for large datasets, fully supported by @england.nhs.uk
theguardian.com
Confidential health records from UK BioBank project exposed online
Exclusive: Guardian investigation finds data from flagship medical research leaked dozens of times
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Reposted by Ola Howell
copduk.bsky.social @copduk.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
Welcome to COPD UK - a UK conference for COPD healthcare professionals & researchers. COPD UK 2026 will take place between the 1st & 2nd June 2026 at the Spine RCP building, Liverpool. This years conference theme is: “COPD a modifiable disease” Conference information: www.copd-uk.com/home
copd-uk.com
COPD UK 2026 Conference, Liverpool 01-02 June
Join the COPD UK 2026 Conference in Liverpool , UK , 01st and 02nd June . Discover clinical and research highlights in COPD. Registration Will open soon.
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
The first thing Yaxley-Lennon did on leaving court was to thank Elon Musk for funding his legal costs. That's Elon Musk who has repeatedly called for civil war in the UK. As of typing this - all of the major politicians and platforms maintain a presence on X and it is time for them all to leave.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
This week's @nature.com cover highlights a report of A.I.- mediated distortion When #ChatGPT was asked to rate 40,000 résumés, it ranked the older male candidates as better quality than the younger female applicants nature.com/articles/s41...
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
„The university told her that a combination of administrative issues meant they could no longer support her work. But further inquiries suggested the university was “explicitly trading my academic freedom for access to the Chinese student market,””
theguardian.com
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
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Reposted by Ola Howell
Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) @oxpolicyengaged.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Do you work in #policy at local, regional, national government level? Fancy spending some time with like-minded researchers at @ox.ac.uk on the burning issues of the day? Consider our new Visiting Fellowship scheme just open this week: www.ox.ac.uk/research/usi...
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Reposted by Ola Howell
Centre for Applied Respiratory Research Innovation & Impact @carriiuk.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
🧠Great insights from Prof Julian Redhead on building NHS resilience for the winter ahead - highlighting the power of collaboration, innovation & system change.💬 #CARRiiASM #NHSResilience #WinterPressures #CARRii @oxprimarycare.bsky.social
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Funny
peterhambly.substack.com
Why Do Doctors hate Checklists?
The real culture war in healthcare
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Jess Morley @jessrmorley.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Calling ALL health data folk: Re UK Health Data Research Service. The UK gov & Wellcome have pledged up to £600 million to create a HDRS. Myself & an ace team have been tasked by Wellcome to assess the existing health data ecosystem & identify what is needed to support the HDRS 👇. Get in touch
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Stefan Marciniak @profmarciniak.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
For those who bash the NHS, note that British diabetics pay £0 insulin Patients with diabetes are eligible for a medical exemption certificate (FP92A), which covers all prescriptions related to their condition. This includes insulin, needles, testing strips, and other diabetes-related medications
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Qasim Rashid, Esq. @qasimrashid.com · 17/10/2025
It costs ~$70 to produce a year’s supply of insulin. Yet, the average annual cost of insulin went from $2,864 in 2012 to $5,705 in 2016 to $18,000 in 2025. A 25,714% markup. That isn’t inflation or supply chain—It’s corporate greed. Now—California will sell insulin for $11. Make this nationwide!
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Happy World Pharmacist Day 💊
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Reposted by Ola Howell
Stuart McDonald @actuarybyday.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
An absolute goldmine of health and mortality data 📊 Well done to all involved in this.
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The Pharmaceutical Journal @pharmaj.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Analysis of exclusive data by #ThePJ has revealed that one in four #NHS trusts and health boards does not offer protected time as part of job plans for pharmacists. Here, #SophieWillis investigates whether or not trusts are preventing pharmacists from progressing in their careers
buff.ly
Is a lack of protected learning time holding back hospital pharmacists’ career development?
“Protected learning time is essential for pharmacists to keep their skills up to date and deliver the best care for patients,” says Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society…
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Of 46 proven cases of sexual misconduct from one year (Aug ‘23-Aug ‘24): ALL perpetrators were male doctors and over 80% held a position of authority. Another example from 2025: 12-month practice suspension for proven rape because it was deemed a “one-off event”. Is this for real?! 🤯
theguardian.com
UK doctors guilty of sexual misconduct are not being struck off, research finds
Analysis reveals 24% of guilty doctors handed suspensions but are allowed to keep working in medicine
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Julia M. Rohrer @dingdingpeng.the100.ci · 19/09/2025
Fun article about “outsider” scientists and their breakthroughs. “Academia filters most funding, publishing, and hiring decisions through senior insiders, which favors ideas within existing paradigms.” worksinprogress.co/issue/why-sc...
worksinprogress.co
Why science needs outsiders - Works in Progress Magazine
Science has forgotten that the greatest breakthroughs often come from outsiders who are able to take a fresh perspective.
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Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
A groundbreaking paper published @nature.com today—the first large health language model—predicts >1,000 diseases for a person and when. Implications here: erictopol.substack.com/p/dawn-of-a-...
erictopol.substack.com
Dawn of A New Era of Primary Prevention in Medicine
Recent groundbreaking reports highlight our newfound potential to prevent diseases
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Dr. Nick Posegay @nposegay.northsky.social · 17/09/2025
I'm sorry, worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable permission to my voice and likeness? For what now? In any manner for any purpose??? This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.
By creating an Account with Academia.edu, you grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent for Academia.edu to use your Member Content and your personal information (including, but not limited to, your name, voice, signature, photograph, likeness, city, institutional affiliations, citations, mentions, publications, and areas of interest) in any manner, including for the purpose of advertising, selling, or soliciting the use or purchase of Academia.edu's Services.
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WarTranslated (Dmitri) @wartranslated.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
The moment of a Russian UAV strike on Kharkiv today. The Russians hit the building of the National University of Pharmacy.
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South West Pharmacy Research Network @swpharmres.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Come and join us at our 2025 Innovation day in Bristol! You can expect... 👑 Top class speakers 🥳 Networking opportunities 🖼️ Poster sessions 🛠️ Workshops 🍱 Lunch!!! See our full speaker line up and book your free place now www.bath.ac.uk/events/south...
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Nuffield Trust @nuffieldtrust.org.uk · 16/09/2025
Our new research published today sets out the valuable lessons we can learn from other countries' efforts to shift care from hospital to community. @sjanereed.bsky.social spoke to @financialtimes.com about Ireland's reform plans. 👇
buff.ly
Can Ireland’s ‘Sláintecare’ be a model for community care in the UK?
Irish government’s push to reduce hospital admissions drives down treatment waiting lists
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Excellent, insightful write up on the issues surrounding learning difficulties and ADHD diagnoses, and more. Thank you @bennewmark.bsky.social for sharing your experience and perspective. I very much enjoyed reading this and learned a lot. And thanks @sarahjpharm.pharmsky.app for sharing the post💚
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Susie Dent @susiedentwords.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
An ‘ultracrepidarian’ (19th century) is one who loves to give their opinion, at length, on matters they know nothing about.
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Amazing woman and the co-founder of the University I graduated from 🤓
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Reposted by Ola Howell
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 02/09/2025
Doctors and drug developers who first saw scans from a new targeted form of radiotherapy were amazed. For some patients in the clinical trial, Novartis’ radioligand therapy had — in just six months — completely cleared cancer that had spread around their bodies. on.ft.com/462deTZ
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Farewell 👋 and please PLEASE take your friends with you to this new milk and honey land 🫠 “…Russia’s “traditional values” were a natural draw for people, and a reason he chose to stay — as well as feeling freer in Russia to air his views.” 🤡
on.ft.com
The Americans moving to wartime Russia for ‘traditional values’
Moscow promotes visa scheme aimed at those disaffected by western society
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Peter Tennant @pwgtennant.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
A very important caveat to the "AI stethoscope" that was completely ignored by many news outlets. Yet a high false positive rate can make a screening tool more harmful than useful. How can we encourage health journalists to be more critical of AI press releases? Cc @mgtmccartney.bsky.social
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Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
*stares in academia*
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Raywat Deonandan 🍁🇨🇦 @deonandan.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Countries on track to eliminate cervical cancer: -Australia by 2028 -Sweden by 2027 -Rwanda by 2030 -UK by 2040 -Indonesia by 2030 -Bhutan 2030 -El Salvador by 2030 -Canada by 2040 How? HPV vaccine. Same one RFK Jr is trying to ban. You will note USA is not on this list.
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Forwarding this week’s motivation, sent to me by my husband. Apparently I had sent it to him 4 years ago (and it worked). You’re welcome
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Paulb @paulb3964.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
@rpharms.com is holding “strategy engagement events” as part of its preparation to transition into a Royal College. There will be events for members, students, public and Pharmaceutical scientists Details in link below (as well as a comprehensive faq) #PharmSky www.rpharms.com/royalcollege
rpharms.com
Royal College of Pharmacy
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is changing to become the Royal College of Pharmacy.
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Never forget, a 13-year study found that protected bike-lanes led to a drastic decline in fatalities for all road users. ALL ROAD USERS. And painted bike-lanes? No safety improvement at all. For sharrows, it’s actually safer to NOT have them. Via @usa.streetsblog.org @nyc.streetsblog.org
usa.streetsblog.org
Separated Bike Lanes Means Safer Streets, Study Says — Streetsblog USA
Cities that build protected lanes for cyclists end up with safer roads for people on bikes and people in cars and on foot, a new study of 12 large metropolises revealed Wednesday.
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John Burn-Murdoch @jburnmurdoch.ft.com · 18/07/2025
NEW: There’s been a lot of discussion lately about rising graduate unemployment. I dug a little closer and a striking story emerged: Unemployment is climbing among young graduate *men*, but college-educated young women are generally doing okay. www.ft.com/content/a9ea...
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Nima (Doctor Yak) 🇪🇺🇬🇧 @doctoryak.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
I guess this is what we're going to have to get used to... NHS Worker (and British citizen of Filipino origin) with 15 years of service abused whilst walking with her family in W Yorkshire. She's leaving the country and I'm sorry. The tone from the top is always heard at the bottom.
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Look at Cornwall, my previous home of 7 years, tightly surrounded by shit 🤢😧💔
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Will Jennings📉🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
This is sadly not surprising and should not be separated from the rise of extremism, distrust and misinformation across a range of social media platforms (as well as in some legacy media outlets) since the COVID-19 pandemic.
theguardian.com
Vaccine warning for England as one in five children start school unprotected
Experts say country needs ‘wake up call’ with levels far below those needed for herd immunity
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Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
“Kennedy would be less hazardous if he decided to do cardiac surgery. Then he would kill people only one at a time rather than his current ability to kill by the thousands. Why is it that killing a single person is seen as murder but killing masses is excused if you are a politician?” Dr Bill Foege
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Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Local and national governments should act to stop the spread of these oversized cars. As Anna Goodman says: “This has important implications for congestion, public space and road safety. The evidence is clear that SUVs increase road danger for people walking and cycling, particularly for children”
theguardian.com
Safety and space at risk as SUVs reach 30% of car market in English cities, researchers warn
Campaigners call for Paris-style parking charges amid fears big vehicles are taking up excessive public space
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Ola Howell @olahowell.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
UK government public consultation open for feedback on the new proposal extending the list of meds (including controlled drugs) prescribable by paramedics, physios and other practitioners. Deadline: 28th Oct 2025. UK-only respondents.
gov.uk
Extend medicines responsibilities for allied health professions
This consultation seeks views on extending medicines responsibilities for paramedics, physiotherapists, operating department practitioners and diagnostic radiographers.
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Magdalena Skipper @magdalenaskipper.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
“We don’t see an epidemic of autism, but we see an ‘epidemic’ of diagnoses” A fresh journalistic look at the rise in autism that brings together perspectives from the researchers & the autism community 🧪 #MedSky @nature.com by @helenpearson.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Autism is on the rise: what’s really behind the increase?
RFK Jr has vowed to find out what’s responsible, but scientists say he is ignoring answers from decades of research.
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Jana Bacevic 🌲🌳✊🏴 @unsocialtheory.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Update(s) from Serbia: the School of Philosophy at the University of Novi Sad has been overtaken by the police, who have evicted the students occupying the building since the start of the student-led movement for social change. The police are now attacking citizens who came to support students.
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Demetre Daskalakis @drdemetre.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Enough is enough. The health of the country is in danger. Read our resignation letters: insidemedicine.substack.com/p/breaking-n...
insidemedicine.substack.com
Breaking News: Read three top CDC officials' resignation emails.
The end of an era.
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Dr Emma Garnett @emmagarnett.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
"Oxford’s homicide rate was three to four times higher than that of London or York. The medieval university attracted young men aged 14-21, many living far from home, armed and steeped in a culture of honour [] quarrels between northerners and southerners regularly erupted into street battles."
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Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 26/08/2025
How AI can recode the difficult process of drug discovery on.ft.com/4mrYJQi | opinion
on.ft.com
How AI can recode the difficult process of drug discovery
Research organisations are banking on technology to help improve the odds of approval
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Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 12/08/2025
UK Government will consult on enabling pharmacists working in a community pharmacy to have the flexibility to supply an alternative strength (and hence also quantity) or formulation against a prescription written by another prescriber. #Pharmsky #Medsky www.gov.uk/government/p...
gov.uk
Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines
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JAMA @jama.com · 10/08/2025
📌 The SPIRIT 2025 statement updates the guidelines for randomized trial protocols to enhance their completeness, transparency, and consistency, benefiting stakeholders involved in clinical research. ja.ma/4fzMVZS
Figure.  SPIRIT 2025 Diagram of the Schedule of Enrollment, Interventions, and Assessments
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Hillary Rodham Clinton @hillaryclinton.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
You know how people called women hysterical for predicting the right wing would take down Roe v. Wade (which they've done) and then attack access to birth control (which they're doing)? Hear me when I say that women's very right to vote is next. www.npr.org/2025/08/09/n...
NPR: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposts video of pastors saying women shouldn't vote
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