Arussa Beyond the Bench aims to unravel the socioeconomic complexities of the healthcare system within the UK. If you’ve ever questioned how policies and the economy affect treatment options and outcomes, or why there is under-representation in healthcare. You will find the answers here.
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Connected Care, Disconnected Access: What Wearables & Digital Health Innovations Reveal About The Next Era Of Medicine
Earlier this year, Eli Lilly partnered with OURA to help patients on its GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro track their health more closely on the OURA app. Whilst both companies quickly confirmed no data would be shared between them (unless the user gave permission do to so), this deal sits inside a much bigger health tech…
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The Gender Health Gap: A Systematic Failure in Diagnosis, Research & Policy
$1 Trillion USD, annually. That’s how much economic growth the world could see by 2040 if the gender gap in healthcare was addressed. With women living over 25% of their lives in poor health, compared to men and making up nearly half of the global population, only 5% of global R&D fundings goes to women’s…
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Episode 2. Geriatrics
This week we are in conversation with Dr A, currently working within a Geriatric department, in Essex. They share their personal anecdotes as a junior clinical fellow within the NHS… ““Deprivation increases both disease severity and complexity of management “. From your clinical perspective, what is the most significant unmet need amongst your patients? The…
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Cancer Therapies That Work But NICE Won’t Fund – What They Mean for Patients.
NICE rejected Enhertu® for HER2-low breast cancer in 2024 – the first breast cancer treatment not recommended by the drug regulatory body in 6 years. This is not because the treatment doesn’t work, but because it costs more per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) than the NHS can afford. Rejected drugs can sometimes become accessible via…
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GLP-1 Medications: Side effects, Uncertainty and the Socioeconomic Cost of Rapid Adoption
Over 50% of GLP-1 users discontinue use due to side effects, with two-thirds regaining the weight loss – yet the socioeconomic impact of this cycle is rarely analysed or considered in policy decisions. Approx. 95% of access is through private pathways beyond NHS structured frameworks; whilst people in least deprived areas are most likely to…
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Episode 1. Neurosurgery
This week we are in conversation with Dr F, currently working within the Neurosurgery department, in a London hospital. They share their personal anecdotes as a junior doctor within the NHS… “Delayed discharges are common; patients who are medically fit for discharge often remain in hospital due to limited social care post-treatment or surgery”. From…
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Prevention: The health inequality contributor that needs more attention
Prevention is the policy we keep ignoring… Preventative care is allocated only 5.2% of the national healthcare budget (ONS, 2022) despite years of research showing the greater impacts of prevention on healthcare and society. Preventable diseases have a multi-billion pound impact on our national health services, with further detriments on our society and economy through…
BTB Insights
Analytical writing on healthcare systems, economics and policy
Inside the System
Conversations with clinicians and practitioners
