Allyson M. Pollock's Blog

Oration for the Edinburgh Medal 2024: Mario Negri Institute

02 April 2024 Lord Provost, it is an honour to deliver this oration on behalf of the Mario Negri Research Institute Italy and its Director Prof Giuseppe Remuzzi. My thanks also go to Prof Wall, the audience, and staff who are making tonight possible. Prof Giuseppe, you have arrived on a dreich day, so I […]

Email to Hugo Keith KC, 30 May 2023

Allyson Pollock To: Hugo Keith; contact@covid19.public-inquiry.uk Tue 30/05/2023 22:49 Re: Claas Kirchhelle’s historical report to the inquiry Dear Mr Keith, In view of my having been informed by Claas that the inquiry’s legal team has insisted that I ‘withdraw’ from this report and that he removes sections directly attributable to me, the purposes of this […]

As covid continues its tour of Europe, what is the public health evidence for covid passes? 02 December 2021

Mandatory vaccination will not make care home residents safe from covid, it is unnecessary, and data underpinning the government’s case is unreliable

Briefing note 19 July 2021 in advance of Lords Debate on regulatory amendment to Health and Social Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Prof Lydia Hayes, Kent Law School, Prof Allyson Pollock, Newcastle University Read as pdf Vaccination is not a panacea for safety in care homes. Regulatory law demands safe care through sufficient staff, […]

Health and Care Bill 2021-22

Key points and questions for the second reading, 14 July 2021 Prof Allyson M Pollock and Peter Roderick13 July 2021 Read as pdf The Health and Care Bill which was introduced in the House of Commons on 6 July 2021 is a major reorganisation of the NHS in England which will complete the dismantling of […]

Freedom of Information requests to the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, May 2021

1            Further authorisation of Innova LFTs I note that MHRA’s ‘authorisation of special use of DHSC COVID-19 Self-Test Kit’ dated 22 December 2020 states that “If this authorisation ends on 22/06/2021, and there continues to be a need for a further authorisation, the position will be reviewed by the MHRA and a decision taken on […]

Letter to Infected Blood Inquiry, 27 May 2021

To the Secretary, Infected Blood Inquiry Thank you for your letter of 26 May 2021. I am disappointed by your position to deny access to the public hearings, and by your reasoning. As you correctly state, the MHRA authorises (Innova) lateral flow tests solely – currently, until 22 June 2021 – for the use in […]

Misuse of lateral flow tests

An email sent to Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency23 May 2021 Dear Dr June Raine, I am writing to draw your attention to the ways in which the government is expanding the use of lateral flow tests in community settings and, in so doing, is creating potential […]

Integrated care systems

Roderick P, Pollock AM. A new bill to reform the NHS in England: the wrong proposals at the wrong time. BMJ Opinion 11 Feb 2021.

Rugby and rights of the child

18 December 2020 To: Juliet HarrisDirector, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) Dear Juliet The purposes of this email are to introduce myself and to ask for your advice and perhaps collaboration. I am Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University, and live in Edinburgh. I have been working with other academics for many years […]