Geoff Rollason spent nearly 20 years in the NHS and a decade at Pfizer UK Oncology leading patient experience work. Now living with prostate cancer himself, he shares what really happens when industry tries to involve patients and why it so often falls short.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Pharma still talks about patient engagement but rarely follows through because there's no short-term ROI and the driver is stockholder returns, not patient experience.

2. Patient insights panels fail when commercial colleagues aren't involved from the start and when the work is treated as a project rather than business as usual.

3. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can cause crushing fatigue, loss of body hair, and profound changes to self-image that aren't adequately supported.

4. Geoff received just 43 minutes of clinical input over six months, highlighting the gap between keeping patients alive and supporting their quality of life.

5. Real patient-centricity means changing what marketers and commercial teams do in response to patient insights, not just collecting data.

Geoff Rollason is a patient advocate and former Associate Director of Primary Integrated Care in the NHS. He later led patient experience for Pfizer UK Oncology before retiring and being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

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Dr Erum Ilyas, dermatologist and author of The No-Nonsense Skincare, dismantles common skincare myths and reveals what actually works. With over 20 years treating patients from infancy to over 100 years old, she's witnessed generations of skin health and knows that great-grandmothers achieved beautiful skin without multi-step routines. In this episode, Dr Ilyas explains the marketing tactics that create disappointing product graveyards under our sinks, why only three ingredients have truly proven their worth in dermatology, and how to distinguish between acne and rosacea to avoid worsening your skin with the wrong products.

Five key takeaways:

1. Only three over-the-counter ingredients have stood the test of time: petroleum jelly, retinol, and sunscreen

2. Temporary swelling agents create Cinderella effects that vanish by the time you get home after purchase

3. Fairy dusting means premium-priced products often contain only trace amounts of their advertised star ingredients

4. Most anti-aging products contain no active ingredients because no over-the-counter ingredient truly changes skin structure long-term

5. Rosacea is often misdiagnosed as acne, and using acne products on rosacea makes it worse

Dr Erum Ilyas is a board-certified dermatologist with over two decades of clinical experience treating every age and stage of skin health, and author of The No-Nonsense Skincare.

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Dr Adam Barsouk, oncology fellow at Johns Hopkins University and author of Outsmarting Cancer: Risk Reduction and the Power of Prevention, joins Catriona Williams to discuss why half of all cancer diagnoses could be prevented and why modern medicine has focused on treatment rather than prevention.

Key takeaways:

1. Obesity is the second leading cause of cancer globally after smoking, contributing to nearly every cancer type through chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction

2. Cancer rates in adults under 50 have more than doubled in the last 30 years, driven by obesity, ultra-processed foods, microplastics, and environmental exposures

3. The HPV vaccine can prevent 98-99% of cancers caused by human papillomavirus, including cervical, anal, and head and neck cancers, yet vaccine hesitancy limits its impact

4. Lung and liver cancers receive less research funding due to stigma, even though many lung cancer patients are non-smokers and addiction is a medical disease, not a lifestyle choice

5. Only 5% of healthcare expenditure goes to prevention despite evidence that prevention could eliminate half of all cancer cases, largely because there is no short-term financial incentive for industry or policymakers

Dr Adam Barsouk is an oncology fellow and researcher at Johns Hopkins University and has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications on cancer epidemiology and treatment.

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Most people assume clinical trials are purely about testing new medicines. But what if the process of being screened to join a trial could uncover a health condition you didn't know you had?

In this episode, Catriona is joined by Kate Dodd, Recruitment and Engagement Manager at Liverpool's Clinical Research Facility, and Dr Lauren Walker, Deputy Director of the NIHR-funded CRF at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Together they discuss a research paper exploring the clinically significant findings identified during trial screening, and why that changes the conversation around participation.

They cover:

• What a clinical trial screening actually involves — and why it functions as a comprehensive health check
• The real-world cases their research uncovered, including latent TB, hepatitis B, Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, and a lymphoma diagnosis
• Why the standard phrase "no direct benefit" doesn't tell the full story
• The data behind the findings: roughly 1 in 17 healthy volunteers and 1 in 25 patients had a previously undetected condition identified
• How they worked with communities to rewrite patient information into genuinely accessible language, reducing the reading age from 14-15 down to the recommended 11
• Their discussions with the Phase One Advisory Group at the HRA, and the goal of making this level of transparency standard across all trials

Whether you've ever considered joining a clinical trial or simply want to understand more about how medicines are developed and tested, this conversation offers a perspective that's rarely heard outside research circles.

Guests:

Kate Dodd, Recruitment and Engagement Manager, NIHR Liverpool Clinical Research Facility

Dr Lauren Walker, Deputy Director, NIHR Liverpool Clinical Research Facility

My Health Focus is not a medical service. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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When Bridget McNulty was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 18 years ago, she felt like the only person in the world it had ever happened to. She later discovered that almost everyone she spoke to had felt exactly the same way.

Bridget is the founder of Sweet Life, South Africa's largest online diabetes community, and a published author. In this episode, Catriona talks to her about why that sense of isolation at diagnosis is so universal, what people with chronic conditions actually need from a community, and why managing diabetes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is exhausting in a way that's almost impossible to explain to people who don't live it.

They also discuss the divide between public and private healthcare in South Africa, why type 2 diabetes carries a stigma that type 1 doesn't, the relief of talking to people who just get it without needing everything explained, and why the language healthcare professionals use around diabetes needs to change.

Connect with Sweet Life: sweetlife.org.za South Africans with Diabetes on Facebook @sweetlife.org.za on Instagram

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Dr Max Draper, author of Testosterone Decoded, joins Catriona Williams to discuss the dramatic decline in testosterone levels since the 1980s and its implications for men's health. After experiencing low testosterone following testicular cancer, Dr Draper changed his career focus to specialise in this overlooked area of men's health. In this episode, he explains how testosterone affects far more than muscles and sex drive, influencing energy, mental clarity, mood, and fertility.

Key takeaways:

1. Testosterone levels have been declining across generations since the 1980s, with each decade showing lower average levels than the previous one

2. Low testosterone symptoms include low energy, brain fog, reduced motivation, mood changes, and reduced resilience to stress

3. Proper testing requires checking both total and free testosterone levels, not just total testosterone alone

4. Lifestyle factors including sleep, exercise, diet, stress management, and body composition should be optimised before considering testosterone replacement therapy

5. Testosterone replacement therapy can complicate fertility and requires careful consideration, particularly for younger men who haven't completed their families

Dr Max Draper is a medical doctor, author, and specialist in testosterone and men's health, bringing both professional expertise and personal experience to this crucial health topic.

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Living with Gallstones

When Juliet Sullivan collapsed in agony on a pavement in England, she had no idea what was happening to her.

The diagnosis was gallstones, and along with it came instructions to follow a low-fat diet for several months until her gallbladder could be removed. What she could not find anywhere was a practical, accessible book to help her through it. So she wrote one.

In this episode, Juliet joins Catriona Williams to talk through her experience from first attack to full recovery, and shares the dietary wisdom she gathered along the way.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Gallstone attacks are frequently misdiagnosed at first because the pain, though felt in the upper abdomen, can mimic other conditions including appendicitis or cardiac events.

2. A low-fat or very low-fat diet is typically recommended to reduce the risk of triggering further attacks while awaiting surgery, but it is not a long-term solution and healthy fats remain important for overall wellbeing.

3. Keeping a food diary after diagnosis can help identify personal trigger foods, which vary between individuals. Common culprits include oils, butter, avocado, and rich restaurant or ready-made meals.

4. Gallbladder removal is a common procedure, but recovery is a genuine physical experience that deserves honest preparation rather than being minimised by healthcare teams.

5. After surgery, most people can gradually reintroduce a full and healthy diet, though many find their eating habits and awareness of fat content change permanently for the better.

Juliet Sullivan is the author of The Gallstone Friendly Diet, a practical and warmly written guide for anyone navigating life with gallstones before and after surgery.

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