Georgina Ferry interviews Carl Heneghan, Professor of Evidence Based Medicine, 4 July 2022.
Topics discussed include (00:00:41) early interest in medicine and studies at Oxford, position within the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, work as a GP and in an out of hours setting at evenings and weekends; (00:02:37) the concept of evidence-based medicine; (00:04:33) systematic reviews, randomised control trials, patient-centred medicine and informed decision-making; (00:07:25) other aspects of evidence-based practice, including qualitative research, observational data, diagnostic studies; (00:09:43) main areas of interest prior to COVID-19, applied health sciences; (00:11:50) modes of communication to inform doctors of new evidence, including through up-to-date guidelines; (00:13:29) publics appetite for evidence-based practice as a result of COVID-19; (00:14:38) first awareness of COVID-19 in early January 2020, including article for the BMJ relating to excess mortality, podcast relating to coronaviruses, swine flu pandemic of 2009, outbreak in Northern Italy, work as an urgent care GP in March and lack of PPE, experience of COVID infection; (00:21:55) uncertainty over new pathogens, including of severity, effect on different age groups; (00:24:28) return to work in urgent care, including experience of an unusual quietness in urgent care, patients presenting late for ongoing issues; (00:26:28) weekly seminar with the media on ONS death figures and how to interpret the data; (00:28:07) immunosenescence in the elderly; (00:32:30) Oxford COVID-19 Evidence Service; (00:36:18) lack of preparedness within the NHS particularly relating to PPE, viewpoint on the first national lockdown; (00:44:35) studies on transmission of the virus, human challenge studies, systematic reviews on the modes of transmission, airborne transmission and the terminology around this; (00:55:50) the precautionary principle; (00:59:00) PCR testing; (01:07:10) work with the Cabinet Office and policymakers, polarisation of views, work with colleagues in Oxford during the pandemic including Sunetra Gupta, shifts in people's views over time; (01:12:20) Great Barrington Declaration and the harms evidenced as a result of non-pharmaceutical interventions, including language development in children; (01:15:00) ability of hospitals in England to cope with COVID-19, including relating to capacity; (01:18:30) immunity and immune gaps, susceptibility of the population; (01:22:50) opposing viewpoints, social media and personal attacks; (01:24:28) collaboration during the pandemic and work with policymakers; (01:27:34) work in media commentary, relationship with the media; (01:30:20) schools projects and teaching children about risk, prevention, consent and informed decision; (01:32:12) public support and reaction; (01:32:57) working during the pandemic, including long hours and media work, article writing and urgent care shift work; (01:36:30) returning to working on-site, hybrid working and its impact; (01:39:00) changes in attitude to work after COVID-19, including in terms of hybrid team working, online courses, running of a summer school.
