{{Short description|General practitioner, writer and broadcaster}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Margaret McCartney | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRSE}} | image = Margaret McCartney at Scottish Parliament.jpg | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = McCartney speaks to a Scottish Parliament committee in 2017 | birth_name = Margaret Mary McCartney | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} --> | birth_place = Scotland | occupation = {{hlist|GP|writer|broadcaster|lecturer}} | years_active = 1995-present | known_for = Evidence based medicine | employer = NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | education = University of Aberdeen (MBChB)<br/>University of St Andrews (PhD) | children = 3 }} '''Margaret Mary McCartney''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE}} is a general practitioner, freelance writer, broadcaster and lecturer based in Glasgow, Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr Margaret McCartney FRSE |url=https://rse.org.uk/fellowship/fellow/dr-margaret-mccartney-42330/ |publisher=Royal Society of Edinburgh}}</ref> McCartney is a vocal advocate for evidence-based medicine.<ref name=2012-HeraldScotland-CancerScreening>{{cite news|last1=Duffy|first1=Judith|title=Cancer screening? No thanks, says GP|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13054346.cancer-screening-no-thanks-says-gp/|work=HeraldScotland|date=14 April 2012|language=en}}</ref><ref name=2014-CEBM-PatientParadox>{{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=EvidenceLive 13: Margaret McCartney - The Patient Paradox|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjlp0LobqAY|work=Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford|date=2 December 2014}}</ref> McCartney was a regular columnist at the ''British Medical Journal''. She regularly writes articles for ''The Guardian'' and currently contributes to the BBC Radio 4 programme, ''Inside Health''.<ref name=2020-BBCRadio4-InsideHealth-C19-FortWilliam>{{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=COVID-19 PPE; Secondary Pneumonia; Viral Load; Trauma Care in Fort William|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gl9r|work=Inside Health|publisher=BBC Radio 4|date=24 March 2020}}</ref> She has written three popular science books, ''The Patient Paradox'', ''The State of Medicine'' and ''Living with Dying''. During the COVID-19 pandemic, McCartney contributed content to academic journals and broadcasting platforms, personal blog, and social media to inform the public and dispel myths about coronavirus disease.<ref name=2020-Guardian-COVID>{{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Opinion - Coronavirus outbreak: There are few certainties in coronavirus medicine – research is our best weapon|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/22/covid-19-medicine-research-best-weapon-masks|work=The Guardian|date=22 May 2020}}</ref>
== Early life and education == McCartney was born in Scotland, and has said that her earliest ambition was "to be an engineer".<ref name=2014-BMJ-SingingPraiseEvidence>{{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: Singing the praises of evidence|journal=BMJ|date=17 March 2014|volume=348|issue=mar17 2|article-number=g2015|doi=10.1136/BMJ.G2015|pmid=24637678|s2cid=11923104|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2015|url-access=subscription}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q48082789|y}}</ref> She studied medicine at the University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry and earned her medical degree in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Margaret Mary McCartney|url=https://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/4111294|website=GMC|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> In 1995, she completed her General Medical Council registration.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fulton Street Medical Centre|url=https://www.fultonstreetmedicalcentre.co.uk/staff1.aspx|website=www.fultonstreetmedicalcentre.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> In 2024, she was awarded her PhD from the University of St Andrews School of Medicine with a thesis titled 'Conflicts of interest in healthcare - where are we now?' under the supervision of Frank Sullivan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCartney |first1=Margaret |title=Conflicts of interest in healthcare - where are we now? |url=https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/30335 |publisher=The University of St Andrews |access-date=3 December 2024 |language=en |date=3 December 2024 |hdl=10023/30335 }}</ref>
== Career == McCartney is a general practitioner based in Glasgow, Scotland, contracted to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.<ref name=2020-SunshineUK-Profile>{{cite news|title=Margaret McCartney: GMC# 4111294|url=http://www.sunshineuk.org/doctor/6/active|access-date=25 May 2020|work=Sunshine UK|date=2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Inspiring People: Margaret McCartney|url=https://heidirgardner.com/2018/10/03/inspiring-people-margaret-mccartney/|date=2018-10-03|website=Heidi R. Gardner|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Evidence-based medicine, relationships and trust: #CochraneForAll interview with Dr Margaret McCartney|url=https://www.evidentlycochrane.net/evidence-based-medicine-relationships-and-trust-cochraneforall-interview-with-dr-margaret-mccartney/|date=2018-11-23|website=Evidently Cochrane|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> McCartney started popular science writing after reading a misleading newspaper article claiming health benefits associated with CT scanning.
From 2013 to 2018, McCartney wrote regular columns for the ''British Medical Journal'' (BMJ), through which she debunked medical claims that were not rooted in evidence.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=McCartney|first=Margaret|date=2018-09-04|title=Margaret McCartney: A summary of four and a half years of columns in one column|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3745|journal=BMJ|language=en|volume=362|article-number=k3745|doi=10.1136/bmj.k3745|issn=0959-8138|pmid=30181339|doi-access=free}}</ref>
McCartney is a regular contributor to the BBC Radio 4 programme ''Inside Health'' and has contributed to other science-related programming. McCartney uses her time on air to share evidence about topics related to public health, for example the lack of evidence surrounding the sugary drink tax or recommendation to drink eight glasses a day of water.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Preventive HIV therapy, Sugar tax, Bowel cancer, Surgery|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07414dg|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Advice to drink eight glasses of water a day 'nonsense,' argues doctor|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712190822.htm|website=ScienceDaily|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> She has written and hosted her own radio shows, including ''Farewell Doctor Finlay'' and T''ell Me Where It Hurts'', which looked at historical and contemporary GP practice in the National Health Service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Tell Me Where It Hurts|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005t8m|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Farewell Doctor Finlay, Episode 1|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07j7nty|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref>
Alongside her writing and broadcasting, McCartney has campaigned for doctors to be required to provide conflict of interest statements to their patients.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UWt2AwAAQBAJ&q=margaret+mccartney+conflicts+of+interests+commons&pg=PA37|title=2013 Accountability Hearing with the General Medical Council - HC 897|date=2014-04-02|publisher=The Stationery Office, Great Britain, House of Commons Health Committee|isbn=978-0-215-07057-9|page=37|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Resolving Conflicts of Interest in Medicine|url=https://ebmlive.org/resolving-conflicts-of-interest-in-medicine/|date=2019-03-18|website=EBMLive|language=en|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> At the time, access to this type of information was becoming increasingly important – the commercialisation of healthcare was resulting in confusing guidelines that did not protect patients.<ref name=":1" /> "Conflict of Interest" could include disclosing whether they are a paid consultant for or have been trained by a drug company when prescribing drugs. She argued that as doctors have to disclose this information to their employers each year, the General Medical Council should be able provide this detail to members of the public.<ref name=":0" /> Her proposal was backed by Ben Goldacre, Trish Groves and Iain Chalmers. As part of this campaign, McCartney and colleagues set up the website ''whopaysthisdoctor.org'', which collected and shared details on the commercial interests of physicians.<ref name=":1" />
McCartney established the Royal College of General Practitioners working group on overdiagnosis, which she defined as "the application of diagnoses and treatments for patients that are of little or no value".<ref>{{Cite web|title=RCGP Standing Group on Overdiagnosis|url=https://www.rcgp.org.uk/-/media/Files/Policy/A-Z-policy/2015/C72-Standing-Group-on-Over-diagnosis---revise-2.ashx?la=en|website=RCPG|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The growing problem of Overdiagnosis|url=https://www.cebm.net/2014/09/growing-problem-overdiagnosis/|date=2014-09-17|website=CEBM|language=en|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> As part of her campaigning work, she led calls for general practitioners and pharmacists to not recommend or prescribe homeopathic medicine or products. This was approved by the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2015, who made a statement outlining their commitment to evidence-based medicine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Homeopathy|url=https://www.rcgp.org.uk/policy/rcgp-policy-areas/homeopathy.aspx|website=www.rcgp.org.uk|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref>
She has provided evidence before government on the need for healthcare providers in both the public and private sector to be more transparent about the risks and benefits of health screening.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=National Health Screening; Third Report of Session 2014–15|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmsctech/244/244.pdf|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=letter to GMC and Health Committee|url=http://margaretmccartney.com/2015/03/04/letter-to-gmc-and-health-committee/|date=2015-03-04|website=Margaret McCartney's Blog|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> She pointed out that private screening companies could make claims such as, "we've saved thousands of lives", in advertising materials, irrespective of whether these claims were grounded in evidence.<ref name=":2" /> McCartney has shown that the outcomes of these evidence-free, private screenings, which were not sanctioned by the UK National Screening Committee,<ref name=2019-JRSM-CaseFinding>{{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|last2=Fell|first2=Greg|last3=Finnikin|first3=Sam|last4=Hunt|first4=Harriet|last5=McHugh|first5=Mike|last6=Gray|first6=Muir|title=Why 'case finding' is bad science|journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine|date=12 December 2019|volume=113|issue=2|pages=54–58|doi=10.1177/0141076819891422|pmid=31829072|pmc=7068767|url=}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q91909057|y}}</ref> often resulted in an additional burden for the National Health Service.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=McCartney|first=Margaret|date=2018-02-13|title=Margaret McCartney: The NHS shouldn't have to pick up the bill for private screening tests|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k598|journal=BMJ|language=en|volume=360|pages=k598|doi=10.1136/bmj.k598|issn=0959-8138|pmid=29440048|doi-access=free}}</ref> McCartney has argued that 'sexed up' medicine; in which people make medical decisions based on overselling, incomplete information and unfair claims, is bad for people's health.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WONCA EUROPE 2014 - Interview with Margaret McCartney|url=http://www.woncaeurope2014.org/|website=www.woncaeurope2014.org|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> As part of her campaigning efforts, she contacted the Advertising Standards Authority, who upheld her complaints on the use of misleading information and non-evidence based inspections.<ref name=":3" /> In 2016 McCartney joined Phil Hammond for a month long show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where the pair urged the audience to protect the National Health Service from "market mayhem".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Christie|first=Bryan|date=2016-08-09|title=Stand up for the NHS: Margaret McCartney joins Phil Hammond on stage in Edinburgh|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4378|journal=BMJ|language=en|volume=354|article-number=i4378|doi=10.1136/bmj.i4378|issn=1756-1833|pmid=27510988|s2cid=46254964|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic McCartney was a regular guest on ''Inside Health'', discussing the drug trial,<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Inside Health: The Virus, Covid-19 drug trial; Mental health alone; Southampton update; Antarctica's lockdown lessons|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h7xw|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> health inequality,<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Inside Health: The Virus, Longest Stay Covid-19 Patient; Health Inequalities; Agoraphobia; Covid-19 Testing|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000j81h|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> the impact of smoking on coronavirus disease prognosis<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Inside Health: The Virus, Smoking vs Covid-19; non-urgent treatments; loneliness surveys; Southampton update, covid and the law.|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hmhc|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> and importance of personal protective equipment.<ref name=2020-BBCRadio4-InsideHealth-C19-FortWilliam /> In March 2020 she called for more COVID-19 testing of frontline workers, pointing out that over the course of two days, their workload had increased by 40%.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coronavirus in Scotland: Frontline staff tests stepped up to prevent exodus|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18316128.coronavirus-scotland-frontline-staff-tests-stepped-prevent-exodus/|website=HeraldScotland|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> Writing in ''The Lancet'', McCartney described the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical community, "The NHS has told people for years that it 'puts patients at the hearts of all we do'. I suspect most doctors, frustrated at bureaucracy and barriers, would disagree. That it has taken a global crisis, which is killing patients and health-care staff, and which will have profound psychological sequelae, to make this happen, is catastrophic, and an unpayable price".<ref name=2020-Lancet-COVID-BeforeAfter>{{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Medicine: Before COVID-19, and After|journal=The Lancet|date=April 2020|volume=395|issue=10232|pages=1248–1249|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30756-X|pmid=32243779|pmc=7270612|url=|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q91536273|y}}</ref>
She is a patron of HealthWatch UK, a charity which challenges poor evidence in health reporting, as well as an honorary fellow of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=People - HealthWatch-UK|url=https://www.healthwatch-uk.org/about/people.html|website=www.healthwatch-uk.org|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Margaret McCartney: Cancer screening review diminishes informed choice|url=https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2019/10/25/margaret-mccartney-cancer-screening-review-diminishes-informed-choice/|date=2019-10-25|website=The BMJ|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref>
==Personal life== McCartney lives in Glasgow. She has three children.<ref name=2020-PinterMartin-Profile>{{cite web|title=Authors: Margaret McCartney|url=https://www.pinterandmartin.com/margaret-mccartney/|website=Pinter & Martin Publishers|access-date=25 May 2020|date=2020}}</ref>
==Leadership== * 2018-2020: Royal College of General Practitioners, Senior fellow for Evidence and Values * 2020: CSO career research fellow * 2020: Royal College of General Practitioners, Trustee and council member * 2022: Beira's Place, Board of Directors member
==Awards and honours== * 2008: HealthWatch Award<ref>{{Cite web|title=2008 Dr Margaret McCartney - HealthWatch-UK|url=https://www.healthwatch-uk.org/20-awards/award-lectures/59-2008-dr-margaret-mccartney.html|website=www.healthwatch-uk.org|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> * 2009: Cancerworld, Best Cancer Reporter Award<ref>{{Cite web|title=Are we educating women to be afraid? UK health reporter questions the value of simplistic screening messages|url=https://cancerworld.net/spotlight-on/are-we-educating-women-to-be-afraid-uk-health-reporter-questions-the-value-of-simplistic-screening-messages/|date=2009-09-01|website=Cancerworld|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> * 2016: Pulse Today, Pulse Power 50<ref>{{Cite web|title=15. Dr Margaret McCartney|url=http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/hot-topics/pulse-power-50/15-dr-margaret-mccartney/20032571.article|date=September 1, 2016|website=Pulse Today|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> *2016: PPA Columnist of the Year<ref>{{Cite web|title=PPA Awards 2016: Shortlist Announced|url=https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/ppa-awards-2016-shortlist-announced-4358|website=www.inpublishing.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> * 2017: New York Festivals World's Best Radio Programs Finalist<ref>{{Cite web|title=New York Festivals - 2017 World's Best Radio Programs™ Winners|url=https://www.newyorkfestivals.com/worldsbestradio/2017/pieces-mobile.php?iid=514519&pid=1|website=www.newyorkfestivals.com|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> * 2018: Pulse Today, Pulse Power 50<ref>{{Cite web|title=21. Dr Margaret McCartney|url=http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/hot-topics/pulse-power-50-2018/21-dr-margaret-mccartney/20037243.article|date=August 21, 2018|website=Pulse Today|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref>
== Selected works and publications == {{Scholia|author}}
===Selected works=== * {{cite book|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=The Patient Paradox: Why Sexed-Up Medicine Is Bad for Your Health|date=2012|publisher=Pinter & Martin|location=London|isbn=978-1-780-66000-4|oclc=801002449}} * {{cite book|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Living with Dying: Finding Care and Compassion at the End of Life|date=2014|publisher=Pinter & Martin|location=London|isbn=978-1-78066-150-6|oclc=909029817}} * {{cite book|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=The State of Medicine: Keeping the Promise of the NHS|date=2016|publisher=Pinter and Marti|location=London|isbn=978-1-78066-400-2|oclc=945947405}}
===Selected publications=== * {{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Opinion: Lies, damn lies and medical statistics|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d19a9f5c-7b21-11db-bf9b-0000779e2340|work=Financial Times|date=24 November 2006}} * {{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Reality check on breast cancer|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3f714b0a-893c-11dd-8371-0000779fd18c|work=Financial Times|date=27 September 2008}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: Singing the praises of evidence|journal=BMJ|date=17 March 2014|volume=348|issue=mar17 2|article-number=g2015|doi=10.1136/BMJ.G2015|pmid=24637678|s2cid=11923104|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2015|url-access=subscription}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q48082789|y}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: Medicine must do better on gender|journal=BMJ|date=26 March 2018|volume=360|article-number=k1312|doi=10.1136/BMJ.K1312|pmid=29581382|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1312|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q88182090|y}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: A new era of consumerist private GP services|journal=BMJ|date=8 May 2018|volume=361|article-number=k1861|doi=10.1136/BMJ.K1861|pmid=29739769|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1861|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q88608178|y}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: If you don't pay for it you are the product|journal=BMJ|date=31 July 2018|volume=362|article-number=k3249|doi=10.1136/BMJ.K3249|pmid=30065014|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3249|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q90670993|y}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Margaret McCartney: A summary of four and a half years of columns in one column|journal=BMJ|date=4 September 2018|volume=362|article-number=k3745|doi=10.1136/BMJ.K3745|pmid=30181339|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3745|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q91288615|y}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|last2=Fell|first2=Greg|last3=Finnikin|first3=Sam|last4=Hunt|first4=Harriet|last5=McHugh|first5=Mike|last6=Gray|first6=Muir|title=Why 'case finding' is bad science|journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine|date=12 December 2019|volume=113|issue=2|pages=54–58|doi=10.1177/0141076819891422|pmid=31829072|pmc=7068767|url=}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q91909057|y}} * {{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=COVID-19 PPE; Secondary Pneumonia; Viral Load; Trauma Care in Fort William|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gl9r|work=Inside Health|publisher=BBC Radio 4|date=24 March 2020}} * {{cite journal|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Medicine: Before COVID-19, and After|journal=The Lancet|date=April 2020|volume=395|issue=10232|pages=1248–1249|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30756-X|pmid=32243779|pmc=7270612|url=|doi-access=free}} {{Wikidata+icon|Q91536273|y}} * {{cite news|last1=McCartney|first1=Margaret|title=Opinion - Coronavirus outbreak: There are few certainties in coronavirus medicine – research is our best weapon|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/22/covid-19-medicine-research-best-weapon-masks|work=The Guardian|date=22 May 2020}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website}} * [https://www.theguardian.com/profile/margaret-mccartney Margaret McCartney] at ''The Guardian''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McCartney, Margaret}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Category:Alumni of the University of St Andrews Category:20th-century Scottish medical doctors Category:21st-century Scottish medical doctors Category:20th-century Scottish women medical doctors Category:21st-century Scottish women medical doctors