“But beyond these shocking examples, Australia has a widespread problem with unnecessary and inappropriate medical interventions,” writes Luke Slawomirski, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at The Australia Institute. Read the full piece on The Point: https://theaus.in/4tZwSuT

My reflections on the recent Four Corners episode ‘Scarred’ @australiainstitute.org.au thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

“Lifting interest rates to slow inflation is often referred to as a blunt instrument. In this instance, the blunt instrument is being used to smash the wrong culprit,” said Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute. Read more: https://theaus.in/40tD40I

guess where i was yesterday?

A wide range of studies show that private schools don’t actually offer a better education than public schools; their advantages on standardised tests come almost entirely from the wealthier backgrounds of their students. Read the full piece on The Point: https://theaus.in/4aZs4y9

After revealing penalties on PwC inc a Ban after their Global Tax Scandal - never eventuated - Australia Institute’s Rod Campbell pushes for new legislation so consequences can proceed “There is zero consequence for any economist who essentially lies for their client.”💥 #auspol

My thoughts on specialist fee transparency thepoint.com.au/opinions/260... @thepointau.bsky.social @australiainstitute.org.au

Schumpeter, Smith and the limits of market logic in medicine. www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-cr...

Thomas Mann's 'Der Zauberberg' is an incredible book. Should be part of medical school curricula. www.medicalrepublic.com.au/medical-auth...

On the political economy of health in Australia 🦘 www.medicalrepublic.com.au/the-politica...

Been away a while so posting some recent writing activity starting with this: thepoint.com.au/opinions/251...

Policy analysis from actual homelessness case worker. Proud to have helped with this piece. thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

cancel culture alive and well in US politics … Jimmy Kimmel #jimmykimmel

I wrote something about language and epistemics in health care ... #healthpolicy #healtheconomics #valuebasedcare #cancerdrugs #philosophy open.substack.com/pub/lukeslaw...

It seems an opportune time to repost this @crikey.com.au www.crikey.com.au/2022/09/13/t...

Routine Surveillance for Cancer Metastases — Does It Help or Harm Patients? www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

The Value Zeitgeist — Considering the Slowdown in Health Care Spending Growth @nejm.org www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Wow

Breaking news: The European Commission is issuing burner phones and basic laptops to some US-bound staff to avoid the risk of espionage — a measure traditionally reserved for trips to China www.ft.com/content/20d0...

Cash is king … until inflation kicks in

This Administration is just DEI for mediocre white dudes isn’t it

MAMS (Make Australia More Stupid)

each dollar spent on vaccination yields a $54 return First, jab more babies economist.com/leaders/2025...

How hospitals inflate America’s giant health-care bill economist.com/business/202...

It's not perfect, but the PBS is an example of successful public policy. That's why US big pharma is coming after it.

Rumours on social media could cause sick people to feel worse free access for 7 days economist.com/science-and-...

Big pharma is lobbying Trump to go after the PBS. There can be no higher praise for a scheme that works in the interests of sick Australians, not pharmaceutical companies.

It's not perfect, but the PBS is an example of successful public policy. That's why US big pharma is coming after it.

Grateful to @stevebenen.com for amplifying a post I made at CAMPAIGN TRAILS: www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

The news has been more than a bit grim of late, so hooray for @carbonbrief.org providing some genuine and really meaningful **good** news: the UK's carbon emissions in 2024 were the lowest since 1872, because demand for fossil fuels just keeps decreasing. www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-...

"Oh what a massive surprise!" Said noone

PUBMED is down. This is disaster !! We do not have the system and organization to replace it. (EuroPMC is great but not a replacement) It is crystal clear that we cannot depend on critical systems provided by a single provider. European reaction has to include science and science infrastructures.

Per Dr Atul Gawande, ex USAID: “All malaria supplies protecting 53 million people, mostly children, including bed nets, diagnostics, preventive drugs, and treatments – terminated.” There are no words that sufficiently describe this level of cruelty and sadism.

External studies have shown: -NIH funding directly or indirectly supported the development of ALL new treatments that were FDA approved between 2010-2020 -the return on NIH investment is estimated at 25-40% annually given the improvement in productivity from a healthier workforce Facts matter.

I wonder what big pharma — which essentially freerides on NIH research output — thinks of these cuts?

shouldn’t the question be if and to what extent a ‘fully’ funded fire dpt. could have a. prevented the fires and b. minimised the damage? Looking at the reports the answer is probably: not by much (we live in a ‘high risk’ bushfire area in Western Australia)

In Australia its a cheaper to cause an oil spill than to get a nursing degree In Norway they tax their oil industry and give kids free degrees while in Australia we subsidise the oil industry and charge kids a fortune to go to uni Priorities matter

This is what I wrote about January 6 back in 2021. I don't think it was ever a terribly difficult thing to understand or assess, but I can see the appeal in choosing to misunderstand or make up some other version of it, if only because the thing itself was so pathetic. defector.com/after-the-sa...

Consistent #1 happiest nation on earth just sayin’

supplements aren’t just a harmless waste of $ www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

USA policy but relevant wherever fee-for-service is used to fund #primarycare #Medicare www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Medicare’s new bundled care program is coming. Includes arthroplasties, fractures, spinal fusion (??) and bowel procedures. Will it work? www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....