News from the Department

WED 19 DEC 2018

Exercise may be as effective as drugs to cut high blood pressure

Exercise may be as effective as prescribed drugs to lower high blood pressure, according to a new analysis of health data led by Huseyin Naci.

Read more here.

THU 6 DEC 2018

Achieving high-quality universal health coverage: a perspective from the NHS in England

Governments across low-income and middle-income countries have pledged to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. This research explores what can be learnt from the past 70 years of the NHS. 

Read more here.

THU 29 NOV 2018

LSE Health awarded €4.6 million for health technology assessment research

The project contributes to the understanding of variations in costs and health outcomes within and across countries, the rationale and criteria for decision-making across different settings as well as the factors and preferences that shape HTA recommendations. 

Read more here.

THU 15 NOV 2018

Professor Andrew Street appointed Specialist Advisor

Professor Andrew Street has been appointed Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee when they hear evidence on the budget promise of £20bn extra funding for health and social care next week.

Read more here.

SAT 27 OCT 2018

Review of the NICE Medical Technologies Guidance

A new paper by Dr Huseyin Naci, Dr Leeza Osipenko and Professor Elias Mossialos reviews the first 9 years of NICE's assessment pathway for medical devices. 

Read more here.

FRI 26 OCT 2018

Productivity in the NHS: why it matters and what to do next

Professor Andrew Street and his co-authors argue that a clear strategy for increasing productivity is vital for a sustainable NHS in this article in the BMJ. 

Read more here.

THU 12 JUL 2018

Launching our Executive Master's degree in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Professor Elias Mossialos and Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE announced our new Executive MSc programme for professionals looking to gain skills in health services research, health economics, outcomes research and health policy.

Read more here.

WED 4 JUL 2018 

“Breaking down borders between politics and health” - The Lancet profiles Elias Mossialos

The latest edition of The Lancet includes an in-depth profile of LSE Health Policy Department Head, Professor Elias Mossialos. Drawing on inputs from a range of academics and policy makers who have worked closely with him over the years, the profile looks back over Mossialos’ varied career, his drive to translate research into real change for health systems, and his priorities for the future.

Read more here.

TUE 8 MAY 2018

National Health Stories on BBC Radio 4

Sally Sheard, author of the recent biography of social policy pioneer Brian Abel-Smith, commissioned by LSE, leads a new series on BBC Radio 4 chronicling the stories and individuals behind the establishment of the National Health Service.

Listen to the programme.

THU 15 MAR 2018

LSE and the Lancet announce major commission on 'The Future of the NHS'

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Lancet have announced a joint commission to examine The Future of the NHS. The LSE-Lancet Commission is the first of its kind to study the NHS across the whole of the UK, assessing evidence from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Read more here.

MON 5 MAR 2018

LSE Health delivers training for the World Health Organisation

LSE Health has collaborated with the World Health Organisation Europe to deliver a training workshop on Negotiation for Medicines Strategic Procurement for senior decision-makers across the WHO European region and the European Commission.

Read more here.

Modern, globalised lifestyles fuelling obesity epidemic

A new LSE study suggests that our 21st century, globalised lifestyles are fuelling the rise of obesity. 

Read more.

Cognitive abilities of low birth weight children show dramatic improvement

The gap between the cognitive abilities of children born with a low birth weight and those born with a normal weight has decreased by 50 per cent over the last 40 years or more, according to new research from LSE and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. 

Read more.

Professor Mossialos joins expert advisory board to support the Global AMR Innovation Fund 

Professor Elias Mossialos, Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy within the Department of Social Policy and Director of LSE Health, has been appointed to an expert advisory board to support the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF).

Professor Mossialos will join 11 other board members and will advise how the UK can best spend an additional £50 million over the next five years to work with global partners to fund innovative initiatives that tackle drug resistant infections, which includes resistance to antibiotics.

LSE Health awarded major European grant for big data project

LSE Health has been awarded its first major European big data grant. From January 2017 it will coordinate 36 organisations in a public-private consortium with a total budget of 7.2 million Euros. 

Read more.

Mental health interventions in pregnant women and new mothers have benefits

There are clear economic and societal arguments for investing in mental health interventions for women during pregnancy and immediately after birth, a new report by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics and Political Science suggests. 

Read more.

Childhood bullying places 'long term strain' on UK mental health services

Lead researcher Dr Sara Evans-Lacko, an Associate Professorial Research Fellow from LSE’s Personal Social Services Research Unit, said: “The impact of childhood bullying on mental health services is most notable at an early age, but the association remains significant at 50. 

Read more.

Is intergenerational living the secret to good mental health in old age?

Intergenerational cohabitation (parents and adult children living in the same household) may have contributed to curbing high rates of depressive symptoms among older people during the Great Recession, according to new research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and King’s College London. 

Read more.

Dementia toolkit to help patients, carers and healthcare workers

A comprehensive web tool bringing together scientific evidence on dementia care and treatment has been developed by researchers at LSE's Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU). 

Read more.

LSE Health outlines reforms for China's pharmaceutical system

China’s pharmaceutical system will struggle to cope with the twin challenges of a rapidly aging population and increases in non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart and lung disease. 

Read more.

LSE Health publish study on antibiotic innovation

LSE Health has published a study, commissioned by the Dutch government, outlining a range of policy recommendations for improving the global research and development agendas for antibiotics. 

Read more.

Leaving the EU poses 'critical threat' to NHS

Britain’s withdrawal from the EU would negatively impact the NHS in a number of ways, a new briefing report by academics from LSE and the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London has warned. 

Read more.

LSE partners with University of Chicago to create global health programme

LSE and the University of Chicago have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aiming to create the world’s first transatlantic partnership in global health policy and economics. 

Read more.

Nature versus nurture in obesity: New evidence from adoptee data

Obesity, particularly in children, is a major health concern in many developed economies, where it presents a costly risk to health services. Dr Joan Costa-i-Font, Professor Mireia Jofre-Bonet and Professor Julian Le Grand examined the intergenerational transmission of overweight and obesity using a unique sample of English adoptees. 

Read more.

New brain-training tool to help people cut drinking

Professor Paul Dolan, internationally-renowned LSE expert on happiness and behaviour has launched a free online tool to help people who want to cut down on alcohol. 

Read more.

Huge investment in cancer drugs leads to £14 billion net benefit for UK patients

The UK has more than doubled its spending on cancer drugs over the past decade, leading to a £14 billion (2014 GBP) net economic benefit in terms of increased life outcomes for cancer patients, according to new research published by LSE Health. 

Read more.

Youth mental health neglect a 'moral scandal and enormous economic mistake', says LSE report

More than half of teenagers and young people with mental health problems do not receive any clinical treatment, amounting to a ‘’moral scandal and enormous economic mistake,’’ according to a new LSE study. 

Read more.

Measles and migrants

In the past two years, Europe has recorded more than 22,000 cases of measles: a sharp reversal of the 96% decline of the last 20 years. Why is it happening and who is at risk? 

Read more.

First born children of women in their thirties perform best in tests of mental development and psychological well-being

The firstborn children of mothers in their thirties score more highly on measures of mental development and psychological well-being than children born to other first time mothers reveals new research. 

Read more.

Government regulation and industry practices stalling drug development finds new report

The majority of new medicines entering the market offer few clinical advantages over existing alternatives according to a new analysis article published in the British Medical Journal. 

Read more.

Heavy drinkers and drugs users underestimate their levels of consumption compared to others

Heavy drinkers and users of illegal drugs downplay their relative levels of consumption, when comparing themselves to others, reveals research by LSE and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. 

Read more.

Older hospital patients face "widespread and systematic" pattern of poor care

One million older people are affected by poor or inconsistent care in hospitals, according to new research by Dr Polly Vizard and Dr Tania Burchardt  from CASE. 

Read more.

LSE report shows dementia costs Wales £1.4 billion a year

A new LSE report commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Society, and led by Professor Martin Knapp from PSSRU, reveals the hidden cost of dementia in Wales is estimated at £1.4 billion, an average cost of £31,300 per person each year. 

Read more.

Research Funding News

Professor Martin Knapp, from PSSRU, has received funding from Mind to undertake an economic analysis of their peer support programme and to model the health economic impact of each programme component.

Research Funding News

Professor Elias Mossialos, from LSE Health and Social Care, has been awarded funding from LSE’s Kuwait Programme to examine the causes of some of the most prevalent chronic diseases and to study the main determinants of access to, utilisation of, and satisfaction with the healthcare system in Kuwait.

Paying people incentives to make healthy choices only works in the long term if they are paid to NOT do something

Monetary incentives to encourage people to live healthier lifestyles only work in the longer term when they are designed to stop negative behaviour, rather than promote positive choices, suggests new research undertaken by Dr Matteo M Galizzi and Professor Paul Dolan. 

Read more.

Can't help falling in love? Why divorce and separation might not be that bad for your health

Middle-aged men and women who have experienced the upheaval of separation, divorce and remarriage are almost as healthy as couples in stable marriages, according to a new study involving Professor Emily Grundy. 

Read more.

Primary health care should play bigger role in treating chronic kidney disease

Healthy eating, regular exercise and blood pressure and cholesterol control are among the most effective ways of managing the early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). 

Read more.

LSE Research News- Professor Martin Knapp awarded funding

Professor Martin Knapp from PSSRU, has received funding from the Shirley Foundation to conduct research to examine the economic case for interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Thousands miss out on palliative care due to unfair health system

The UK’s palliative care system needs a major overhaul, according to an LSE report, which reveals widespread inequities and a lack of services for non-cancer patients. 

Read more.

Family beliefs a barrier to aged care health reform

New research by Dr Joan Costa-i-Font shows that older people are avoiding taking out long-term care insurance, fearing their children will desert them in old age. 

Read more.

More generous state unemployment benefits may protect the health of unemployed men

Men who lose their job in US states that provide generous unemployment benefits are at lower risk of poor health, according to new research. 

Read more.

Ethical Dilemmas of vaccination

How relevant are gender and age when making policies  about vaccination and does this leave governments open to claims of discrimination?

Read more.

Does having children make us any happier?

The birth of a first and a second child briefly increases the level of their parents’ happiness, but a third does not, according to new research from LSE and Western University, Canada. 

Read more.

Sex and fertility versus health in AIDS stricken Africa

How do you reconcile the basic sexual and fertility needs of 25 million Africans with the stark reality of HIV/AIDS? The impact is devastating and extends way beyond a health crisis, with far reaching effects on the African workforce, family, education system and the economy in general. 

Read more.

New Research Unit Launch: ALPHA- Ageing, Lifecourse and Population Health Analysis

The LSE ALPHA research unit undertakes and promotes quantitative research on lifecourse, socio-economic and intergenerational influences on individual and population health using a range of large scale, predominantly longitudinal datasets.

Dementia costs the UK £26 billion a year

A new report which has been co-authored with The Alzheimer's Society, LSE and the King's College London has found that dementia costs the UK £26 billion a year - enough to pay the energy bills of every household in the country. 

Read more.

Professor Martin Knapp awarded Fellowship at King's College London

Professor Martin Knapp has been awarded a fellowship as an Honorary Professor of Health Economics at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London.

Twins and short spaced births are linked to premature death among parents

The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggest that the accumulated physical, emotional and financial stresses of raising children close in age could have long-term health implications. 

Read more.

Dr Adam Oliver discusses the policy battle to reduce the nation's expanding girth.

With obesity levels in the UK now the third highest in Western Europe, political leaders are struggling to find a solution to the nation’s expanding girth. 

Are nudge policies the way to go?

Dr Ernestina Coast presented findings of a systematic review on maternal and newborn health to the WHO in Geneva

Dr Ernestina Coast, a member of the Guideline Development Group for the World Health Organization's Technical Consultation on health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health,  presented in Geneva 15-17th July 2014 the findings of a systematic review, led by herself and involving a team from the LSE including Eleri Jones and Sam Lattof.

Autism costs the UK £32 billion a year

Research led by Professor Martin Knapp has highlighted that autism costs the UK £32 billion a year; more than any other medical condition, and greater than cost of cancer, stroke and heart disease combined. Affecting more than 1% of the population, care for those affected can last for 60-70 years. 

Read more.

Savings on sanity

It is increasingly recognised across the world that intervening early in mental illness not only spares millions from untold misery but can save millions in finances. Professor Martin Knapp provides an overview of a field of study that could transform this century and in which LSE leads the way in the Summer 2014 edition of LSE Alumni's Connect magazine. 

Read more.

Research funding: women's health in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Dr Coast, Dr Leone, Prof Lewis have been awarded funding by the Middle East Centre for a research project with the Institute of Community and Public Health at Birzeit University. The research project will generate new data and analyses to better understand women's health over the lifecourse, with a particular focus on those women currently under-served or neglected by the health system.

LSE Health awarded research grant

LSE Health together with 12 other institutional partners have been awarded a € 3 million research grant by the European Commission under DG Research's 7th Framework Programme for their project entitled ADVANCE-HTA, commencing in January 2013 for 3 years. LSE Health will act as the principal investigator and coordinator, led by Panos Kanavos, reader in International Health Policy, bringing together a team of high-level experts with extensive experience in the area of health policy, health economics, health and research methodologies, access to medicines, pharmaceutical policies, medical devices and health technology Assessment (HTA).

PSSRU at LSE and Kent partnership

PSSRU at LSE and Kent are delighted to be part of a partnership that has been awarded by the NICE Collaborating Centre for Social Care (NCCSC). The partnership is led by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), and also involves Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Research in Practice (RIP) and Research in Practice for Adults (RIPfA).