David Phizackerley

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation A recent article published in the BMJ argued that a polypill containing various commonly prescribed cardiovascular medicines should be offered as primary prevention to all people in the UK over the age of 50 years to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.1 The paper, based on discussions at a ‘consensus building seminar’ held in London in 2024, claimed that the introduction of a cardiovascular...

Dear Editor I am a keen parkrunner and thoroughly enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie created by all the local enthusiasts who volunteer and encourage sprinters, runners, trotters and walkers to complete the 5k course each week. There is a great sense of satisfaction in taking part as a runner or as a volunteer - there are not many places where you can stand wearing a crimson hi-vis gilet directing people where to go and get thanked for your efforts several hundred times.

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation In January 2025, an article published in The Lancet assessed the population-health impact of medicines that had been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) between 2000 and 2020.1 Huseyin Naci and colleagues calculated a net health benefit from each new medicine and the estimated effect that theoretically could be obtained by using the money spent on those medicines...