Greg Hartwell

FFPH, Assistant Professor @LSHTM. Researches addiction, inequalities & young people’s mental health. Views own, retweets≠endorsements

[Greg Hartwell @ghartwell]

New #BMJ editorial on smartphones & social media, with @marco_zenone, @maevegill & @martinmckee. If we wait for 'perfect' evidence (as industry would like), we’ll wait forever. Time to apply the precautionary principle to safeguard our teens' #mentalhealth https://t.co/g77pOaZpmz

[Timothy Caulfield @CaulfieldTim]

Our new study: Google allows advertisers to target the sensitive informational queries of cancer patients https://t.co/dLw6WW2Czs

"The Google tools used by alternative cancer clinics exploit users’ searches for information and give prominence to websites promoting treatment unsupported by scientific evidence."

with @marco_zenone @srmarcon @NJKenworthy @maizie333 @ghartwell @spidermaani #GoTeam! 🙏 cc @UAlbertaLaw @UAlberta @cancersociety @bccancerfdn @liz272 @DrShazmaMithani

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

When anyone searches for information on cancer treatment options - you shouldn't see ads for scientifically unsupported treatment, or ads targeting people who have exhausted their treatment options. Our new study (unfortunately) finds this is occurring https://t.co/MvkSi8nxmO

[Commercial Determinants Research Group at LSHTM @CDRG_LSHTM]

New @CDRG_LSHTM paper! Umbrella review led by Alice Tompson with @petticrewmark @maizie333 @ghartwell @m_alkasaby Kate Dun-Campbell, @spidermaani @KatherineKorner on population-level interventions to address #CDoH WRT mental health in @HealthPromInt #CDoH: https://t.co/56d1trZFaf

[Timothy Caulfield @CaulfieldTim]

Cancer cure BS is everywhere! So many exploitive books...

🚨 Our NEW study! Selling Misleading “Cancer Cure” Books on Amazon: https://t.co/5b4hXiBEeB

- 50% of the books coded as misleading
- First page of results the worst (69.7%)

by (the amazing) @marco_zenone @maizie333 @ghartwell @spidermaani via @jmirpub cc @DrJenGunter @EdzardErnst @cancersociety @bccancerfdn @statnews @CBCHealth @UAlberta @UAlbertaLaw @MicrobiomDigest @DG_Rand @ScienceUpFirst @BlakeMMurdoch @picardonhealth @dr_andrealove @jonathanstea

[Nason Maani @spidermaani]

🚨Thanks 2 @marcozenone for leading our new paper @jmirpub https://t.co/Fa0pt5ALjl ($0):“Selling Misleading “Cancer Cure” Books on Amazon: Systematic Search on https://t.co/IuvePgoNMR and Thematic Analysis #CDoH @marco_zenone @GHPUEdinburgh
@maizie333 @ghartwell @spidermaani 🧵

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

Our NEW article in @jmirpub finds misleading cancer cure books are for sale, visible, and prevalent on Amazon. Books suggest implausible cures (often w/ definitive efficacy assurances), undermine conventional treatment, & spread conspiracy theories. https://t.co/XsRj6XN1q6

[Nason Maani @spidermaani]

Thanks so much to Kate Dun Campbell for leading us on this @NIHR Three Schools funded review on the commercial determinants of mental ill health in @PLOSGPH @CDRG_LSHTM @GHPUEdinburgh @maizie333 @petticrewmark #CDoH https://t.co/ETOIUM0ig1 @mikakosinska @gauden

[@SN_Oncology @SN_Oncology]

New in BJC Reports

Investigating how Google's lack of safeguarding measures means alternative cancer clinics can misrepresent themselves, undermine evidence based cancer treatments, and mislead potential patients through listings and reviews
@marco_zenone
https://t.co/JC7i6bFGsT

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

I'm grateful to BJC Reports for publishing an editorial with our new article: "Alternative cancer clinics’ use of Google listings and reviews to mislead potential patients." We can (together!) hold digital platforms & exploitive providers accountable. https://t.co/m2eNOobHfx

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

New study! We caution against using Google reviews to evaluate treatment options for cancer. While reviews are compelling ("they cured my terminal cancer!"), they are an poor indicator of treatment outcomes and should not be used for treatment decisions. https://t.co/zHCXe8LBDG

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

I'm completing a literature review into oral nicotine pouches for a social media analysis. Many (all?) articles that speak favourably of ONPs as harm reduction have a conflict of interest with some even written by employees of Swedish Match (the makers of ZYN). @petticrewmark

[Timothy Caulfield @CaulfieldTim]

Our new study: Alternative cancer clinics’ use of Google listings & reviews to mislead potential patients https://t.co/sDXXIc03C3

"...favorable Google listing & reviews of alternative clinics contribute to harmful online ecosystems."

"Reviews provide compelling narratives but are an ineffective indicator of treatment outcomes. Google lacks safeguards for truthful reviews and should not be used for medical decision-making."

with amazing colleagues @marco_zenone @jeremycsnyder @maizie333 @BelislePipon @ghartwell @spidermaani Thx to all🙏 via @nature cc @UAlberta @UAlbertaLaw @MicrobiomDigest @EdzardErnst @statnews @CBCHealth @SFU @AmericanCancer @CR_UK @picardonhealth @DrJenGunter @UAlbertaSPH @SolNataMD @CIHR_IRSC @Sander_vdLinden @STWorg #ScienceUpFirst!

[The BMJ @bmj_latest]

Legislation to phase out smoking must be an urgent parliamentary priority for the new government

@ghartwell @AllenGallagher_ @maizie333 @martinmckee @LSHTM https://t.co/mTNCL4YNHw

[The BMJ @bmj_latest]

"As health professionals, we will need to use any, and all, opportunities to ensure that the smoke-free generation policy is restored" @ghartwell @AllenGallagher_ @maizie333 @martinmckee @LSHTM https://t.co/mTNCL4YNHw

[Greg Hartwell @ghartwell]

Or, as the Surgeon General put it this week, writing about social media's role in "the mental health crisis" among US teens, "in an emergency, you don’t have the luxury to wait for perfect information. You assess the available facts, you use your best judgment, & you act quickly"

[Greg Hartwell @ghartwell]

New #BMJ editorial on smartphones & social media, with @marco_zenone, @maevegill & @martinmckee. If we wait for 'perfect' evidence (as industry would like), we’ll wait forever. Time to apply the precautionary principle to safeguard our teens' #mentalhealth https://t.co/g77pOaZpmz

[Rebecca Foljambe @DrBeckyFoljambe]

@ghartwell 👏 Clinicians working with children every day should not need any more evidence. A ‘forever’ wait I agree! We re seeing all we need to see at work & home already to instruct urgent change. Applying the precautionary principle is our safeguarding responsibility 💯

[The BMJ @bmj_latest]

How should we protect children from harms linked to smartphones and social media, while maximising potential benefits?

A precautionary public health response is needed, say @ghartwell @marco_zenone @martinmckee @maevegill
https://t.co/uAKsEU97ls

[Timothy Caulfield @CaulfieldTim]

Smartphones, social media, & teenage mental health https://t.co/47btcLES7r

"A precautionary public health response is needed."

"...further experimental research must be an urgent priority for funders and the academic community."

by @ghartwell @martinmckee and (my wonderful colleague!) @marco_zenone cc @jonathanstea

[Marco Zenone @marco_zenone]

New article out! Our article in @bmj_latest argues for a precautionary public health response on smartphones, social media, and teenage mental health. @ghartwell @maevegill @martinmckee. Key points below and DM for a copy of the paper if you need access. https://t.co/c4Bk57FGzG