Read the latest issue of the HealthWatch Newsletter online now!

New for 2021: we have given the HealthWatch Newsletter an updated format, with individual articles fully readable and searchable online. This latest issue features seven original articles - including brave exclusives from new contributors - as well as news about our charity's mission to promote evidence and integrity in health care.

The HealthWatch Newsletter remains free to view, download and share. HealthWatch members will shortly receive their personal printed copy of the newsletter if they have opted to do so. Links to the full newsletter and individual articles are below, or access a printable pdf format here.

Inside Newsletter 114

Published January 2021

• NEWS  Transparency campaign success; challenging the Charities Commission; breast cancer surgery advance; "Pseudoscience kills"; a new sponsor for the HealthWatch Student Prize; and much more
• INVESTIGATION  The case for a register of doctors' interests: Simon Peck shares his shocking findings in the private healthcare sector
• HEALTHWATCH AWARDWINNER 2020 Bringing stats to the masses: Jennifer Rogers explains how to make sense of data during a global pandemic
• REPORT FROM HEALTHWATCH'S CHAIR  HealthWatch Chair Susan Bewley sums up 2020
• PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENTS  Caroline Struthers' devastating commentary takes the case of ME treatments to explain why it is not only drugs and devices that can harm
• STUDENTS How Matthew Choy scooped the top prize in last year's HealthWatch Student Prize competition, with some brilliant runner-up entries
• NUTRITION  The trouble with nutrition research, by David Bender
• LAST WORD  Caroline Richmond on how Lily the Pink and Dr Crippen made their secret remedies, and a century-old war on quackery

We thank the contributors of this latest issue. Find past issues here. If you'd like to write for upcoming issues of the HealthWatch Newsletter, find out more here.

Join us by becoming a member of HealthWatch and a supporter of science and integrity in healthcare.

The 2021 HealthWatch student prize competition for critical appraisal of clinical research protocols is open! Since 2002, HealthWatch has presented more than £20,000 in prizes, and this year it could be your turn to win up to £500. Starting now… you have four months to write, refine and perfect your entry, but don't leave it until the last minute!

Cash prizes

There are two first prizes of £500 each, one for medical and dental students and one for students of nursing, midwifery and professions allied to medicine. Up to five runner-up prizes of £100 will be awarded in each category. Winners will be invited to attend the HealthWatch Annual General Meeting in October to receive their prizes. If for any reason large gatherings or travel are restricted, the AGM may be held virtually, in which case prize-winners will be invited to attend remotely.

Winners can also add to their CV the honour of having received a national award — which could give the edge in a competitive post-Covid jobs market.

We are extremely grateful to the Royal College of Surgeons of England for their generous sponsorship of this year's competition.

How to enter

The competition consists of four hypothetical research protocols: your task is to rank the protocols in order from that most likely to provide a reliable answer to the stated aims of the trial to that least likely to do so. You then have to explain your ranking in no more than 600 words.

Please share with your fellow students, organisations, colleges, universities.

Your entry must be received by 23:59 BST on Friday 30 April 2021. Entries received after that time will not be considered. Find out more and enter here. The full terms and conditions, with the competition protocols for you to read, can be found here. 

Free student membership

Whether you enter the competition or not, if you are a full-time student, please consider taking advantage of our offer of free Student Membership of HealthWatch.

At our AGM on 20 October, the HealthWatch Award 2020 was presented to Professor Jennifer Rogers by our President, Nick Ross.

Prof Rogers is Head of Statistical Research and Consultancy, PHASTAR and Vice President (External Affairs) at the Royal Statistical Society.

After accepting, Prof Rogers gave a fascinating talk on the statistics of Covid-19, titled Can’t see the wood for the trees? Making sense of data during a global pandemic.

Watch the presentation and her talk:

As previously announced, the 2020 Annual General Meeting of HealthWatch will be held by Zoom on Tuesday 20 October.

Join the Zoom meeting here from 6.30 pm (Meeting ID: 844 2483 2573, Passcode: 599388).

The AGM will start at 7.00 pm.

Presentation of Student Prize at 7.30 pm.

Presentation of HealthWatch Award to Dr Jennifer Rogers at 7.40 pm.

For further details, see the AGM announcement or contact the Secretary.