Research from the Field
For Whose Benefit?: Transparency in the development and procurement of COVID-19 vaccines (May 2021)
The urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic has demanded rapid disbursements of public funds, quick decision-making, and unprecedented public health interventions. The analysis of this report reveals that the development of and contracting for the supply of COVID-19 vaccines has also been accompanied
by a disturbing and dangerous lack of transparency. Read report>>>
The COVID-19 Infodemic: Twitter vs Facebook (May 2021)
This study characterises cross-platform similarities and differences in popular sources, diffusion patterns, influencers, coordination, and automation. Comparing the two platforms, it finds divergence among the prevalence of popular low-credibility sources and suspicious videos.
Should spreading anti-vaccine misinformation be criminalised? (17/02/2021)
The spread of false health information casts a shadow over required vaccine coverage. The article examines both sides of the story, with one side arguing that we must, reluctantly, consider criminalising people who deliberately spread false information and the other arguing that criminalisation may do more harm than good. Read more>>>
International experiences with co-production and people centredness offer lessons for covid-19 responses (16/02/2021)
This article demonstrates that we can learn from the experiences of low and middle income countries in co-producing knowledge and working with communities to find feasible and acceptable solutions to healthcare concerns. Putting patients at the centre of their care but it is surely a necessary and welcome step towards more equitable, accountable, and resilient health systems. Read more>>>
The Lancet: "The European Medicines Agency's EU conditional marketing authorisations for COVID-19 vaccines" (14/01/2021)
The approvals of the first COVID-19 vaccines in the EU are a key milestone in the response to COVID-19. The first EU marketing authorisations for COVID-19 vaccines not only offer hope to control the pandemic but also provide proof of concept for a new approach to vaccine development in response to future emerging health threats. Read Full Article>>>
Covid. The commitment of patient associations: a national survey and a participation space (05/06/2020)
The role of the associations has proved essential in this emergency and the new governance system of the NHS in the aftermath of Covid-19 cannot leave aside mechanisms of integration and representation capable of giving voice to this subject. Hence the need to gather this experience to build a concrete design of structured participation of patient associations at the national and regional institutional level. Read full article (available in Italian) >>>
The toll beyond the COVID-19 deaths (14/04/2020)
As citizens in most countries follow the emotionally charged Covid-19 media coverage, which may itself be having an adverse effect on public health, the case for solidarity on shielding, social distancing, lockdown, and increased surveillance has largely been accepted. This blogpost assesses the wider health impact of the pandemic. Read Full Article>>>
The views of patients and the public should be included in policy responses to Covid-19 (30/03/2020)
The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting people’s lives around the globe and testing the resilience of health systems and social cohesion. Decision makers are trying to put in place effective control measures in an environment that is changing rapidly. The emphasis on maintaining universal health coverage and leaving no one behind is welcome (WHO). This opinion piece highlights that patients and our communities are a critical partner in or out of crisis and in the quest towards more equitable, sustainable and resilient health systems. Read full article>>>
Disabled People have Unique Perspectives on Solitude (25/03/2020)
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we are all becoming intimately acquainted with solitude. One facet of this has been some interesting discussions with the disability community. Various claims are made for disabled people’s unique attitudes and approaches to the practice and art of being alone. Read full article>>>