Publications

Here is a selection of some of Ray’s recent journalism, his media publications and academic articles. Apologies if some of the links no longer work. For a full list of Ray’s academic publications, please visit pubmed.

  • Gram EG, Moynihan R, Kramer BS, Nickel B. False premises, false promises: celebrity endorsement of non-evidence-based anticancer interventions on social media. Health Promot Int. 2025 Jul 1;40(4):daaf116.
  • Nickel B, Moynihan R, Gram EG, Copp T, Taba M, Shih P, Heiss R, Gao M, Zadro JR. Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Feb 3;8(2):e2461940. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.61940.
  • Nickel B, Heiss R, Shih P, Gram EG, Copp T, Taba M, Moynihan R, Zadro J. Social media promotion of health tests with potential for overdiagnosis or overuse: protocol for a content analysis. JMIR Research Protocols, 2024;13:e56899. doi: 10.2196/56899
  • Moynihan R. “ADHD push warrants more attention” Byron Echo, November 2023
  • Moynihan R. Medicalisation of a Nation. Byron Echo.  September 2023
  • Albarqouni L,…Moynihan R. Low-Value Surgical Procedures in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Scoping Review. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Nov 1;6(11):e2342215
  • Pokorny AMJ, …Moynihan R, Mintzes B. Interactions between Australian cancer physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: a qualitative study. BMJ Open. 2023 May 26;13(5):e065719.
  • Albarqouni L,…Moynihan R; & the Overdiagnosis and Overuse of Healthcare Services in LMICs Network. Overuse of medications in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review. Bull World Health Organ. 2023 Jan 1;101(1):36-61D
  • Albarqouni L, …. Moynihan R. Overdiagnosis and overuse of diagnostic and screening tests in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review. BMJ Glob Health. 2022 Oct;7(10):e008696.
  • Pokorny AMJ, Moynihan R, et al. Australian Cancer Physicians and the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Survey of Attitudes and Interactions. JCO Oncol Pract. 2022 Jul;18(7):e1154-e1163
  • Copp T, Dakin T, Nickel B, Albarqouni L, Mannix L, McCaffery KJ, Barratt A, Moynihan R. Interventions to improve media coverage of medical research: a co-designed feasibility and acceptability study with Australian journalists. BMJ Open. 2022. 12: p. e062706-e062706
  • Bell K, Doust J, Sanders S…..Moynihan R…et al. A novel methodological framework was described for detecting and quantifying overdiagnosis 25 Apr 2022, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
  • Albarqouni L and Moynihan R. Low- and middle-income countries struggle to provide health care to some, while others get too much medicine. The Conversation, 2022
  • Moynihan R. Celebrating the moves towards wiser health care. MJA Insight. April 4 ,2022
  • Pokorny AMJ, Bero LA, Moynihan R, Mintzes BJ. Industry payments to Australian medical oncologists and clinical haematologists: a cross-sectional analysis of publicly available disclosures. Intern Med J. 2021 Nov;51(11):1816-1824.
  • Moynihan R, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation of healthcare services: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2021 Mar 16;11(3):e045343.
  • O’Keeffe M, Barratt A, Fabbri A, Zadro JR, Ferreira GE, Sharma S, Moynihan RN. Global Media Coverage of the Benefits and Harms of Early Detection Tests. JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Jun 1;181(6):865-867
  • O’Keeffe M, Nickel B, Dakin T, Maher CG, Albarqouni L, McCaffery K, Barratt A, Moynihan R. Journalists’ views on media coverage of medical tests and overdiagnosis: a qualitative study. BMJ Open. 2021 Jun 1;11(6):e043991
  • Pokorny AMJ, Fabbri A, Bero LA, Moynihan R, Mintzes BJ. Interactions with the pharmaceutical industry and the practice, knowledge and beliefs of medical oncologists and clinical haematologists: a systematic review. Br J Cancer. 2022 Jan;126(1):144-161.
  • Moynihan R. The Media is overhyping early detection tests and this may be harming the healthy. The Conversation, 2021.
  • Moynihan R: Ten things I wish I’d been told as a junior academic.  BMJ Blog 2021.
  • Moynihan R.  Ray is co-presenter of the new healthcare podcast The Recovery, with former BMJ Editor-in-Chief, Fi Godlee. Funded by Cochrane Sustainable Healthcare and co-promoted by BMJ, 2021.
  • Moynihan R. COVID vaccines offer the pharma industry a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset its reputation. But it’s after decades of big profits and scandals.” In The Conversation, August, 2021.
  • Moynihan R. Dr Norman Swan’s new book tests the evidence on diet, sex and the ‘bullshit’ wellness trend. Does he know what’s good for us?. The Conversation, July, 2021
  • O’Keeffe M, Barratt A, Moynihan R. Preventing Media-Based False Hopes-Reply. JAMA Intern Med. 2021 Nov 1;181(11):1539-1540.
  • Johansson M, Godlee F, Moynihan R. The Recovery-a podcast about action for sustainable healthcare. BMJ. 2021 Nov 14;375:n2758.
  • Albarqouni L, Moynihan R, Clark J et al. Head of bed elevation to relieve gastroesophageal reflux symptoms: A systematic review. BMC Family Practice (2021) 22:24 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-021-01369-0
  • Degeling C, McEwin E, Moynihan R et al. The introduction and demise of full body computed tomography (CT) scanning in Australia: implications for preventing overdiagnosis. Critical Public Health, DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2020.1841115
  • Moynihan R, Albarqouni L, Nangla C, et al. Financial ties between professional medical association leadership and industry: a cross-sectional study across ten influential United States associations. BMJ 2020;369:m1505
  • Moynihan R, Fabbri A, Parker L, et al. Mixed methods evaluation of workshops for citizen health advocates about financial conflicts of interests in healthcare BMJ Open 2020;10:e034195.
  • Fabbri A, O’Keeffe M, Moynihan R, et al. Media coverage of drug regulatory agencies’ safety advisories: A case study of citalopram and denosumab. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2020;86(7):1416-1429.
  • Nickel B, Moynihan R, Barratt A, et al.  Media coverage of calls to rename low risk cancers: a content analysis. BMJ Open, BMJ Open 2020; 10:e038087.
  • Morteza A, Moynihan R, et al. “Shared decision making; how can it be helpful in reducing medical overuse due to medical misinformation mess?” Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. Published 2020
  • O’Keeffe M, Barratt A, Maher CG, Zadro J, Fabbri A, Moynihan R. Media coverage of the benefits and harms of testing the healthy: a protocol for a descriptive study BMJ Open. 2019
  • McCaffery K, Nickel B, Pickles K, Moynihan R, et al.  Questioning recommended treatment for prostate cancer: a qualitative analysis of the hidden voices of men resisting overdiagnosis and overtreatment. BMJ Open. Published May 24, 2019
  • Moynihan R, Lai A, Jarvis H, Goodrick S, Duggan G, Bero L. Undisclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies: a cross-sectional study of clinical practice guideline writers.  BMJ Open, Published February 2019.
  • Nickel B, Semsarian S, Moynihan R, et al. Public perceptions of changing the terminology for low risk thyroid cancer: a qualitative focus group study. BMJ Open, Published 2019.
  • Nickel B, Howard K, Brito JP, Barratt A, Moynihan R, McCaffery K. Association of preferences for papillary thyroid cancer treatment with disease terminology: a discrete choice experiment. JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, 2018. [Epub ahead of print].
  • Nickel B, Barratt A, McGeechan K, Brito JP, Moynihan R, Howard K, McCaffery K. Effect of a change in papillary thyroid cancer terminology on anxiety levels and treatment preferences: a randomized crossover trial. JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, 2018. [Epub ahead of print].
  • Moynihan R, Johansson M, Maybee A, et al. Covid-19: an opportunity to reduce unnecessary healthcare. BMJ 2020;370:m2752
  • Moynihan R, Macdonald H, Bero L, et al. Commercial influence and covid-19.  BMJ 2020;369:m2456
  • Moynihan R. The voice of the people, funded now by your friendly pharmaceutical company. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry. 2020;17(1):61-63
  • Scott I, Attia J, Moynihan R. Promises and perils of using genetic tests to predict risk of disease BMJ 2020;368:m14
  • Johansson M, Bero L, Bonfill X….Moynihan R. Cochrane Sustainable Healthcare: evidence for action on too much medicine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;12:ED000143. Published 2019 Dec 6.
  • Moynihan R, Bero L, Hill S, et al. Pathway to Independence: a plan to produce and use trustworthy evidence. BMJ, December 4, 2019.
  • Moynihan R, MacDonald H, Heneghan C, Bero L, Godlee F. Commercial Interests, transparency, and independence: a call for submissions. BMJ editorial 16 April 2019   (Ray is guest editor on forthcoming BMJ themed collection)
  • Moynihan R, Brodersen J, Heath I, et al. Reforming Disease Definitions: a new primary care led, people-centred approach. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. Published Online First: 08 April 2019.
  • Moynihan R, et al. Australia is responding to the complex challenge of overdiagnosis.  Medical Journal of Australia. 2018 In Press
  • Nickel B, Moynihan R, Barratt A, Brito JP, McCaffery K. Removing the cancer label from low risk conditions. BMJ . 2018
  • Moynihan R. Preventing Overdiagnosis: how can we stop harming the healthy? Chapter in Brazilian GP Textbook, Tratado de Medicinia de Familia e Comunidade 2nd Edition, 2017.
  • Nickel B, Brito JP, Moynihan R, Barratt A, Jordan S, McCaffery K. Patients experiences of diagnosis and management of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a qualitative study. BMC Cancer. 2018 Mar 2;18(1):242.
  • Mintzes B, Swandari S, Fabbri A, Grundy Q, Moynihan R, Bero L. Does industry-sponsored education foster overdiagnosis and overtreatment of depression, osteoporosis and over-active bladder syndrome? An Australian cohort study. BMJ Open. 2018 Feb 13;8(2):e019027.
  • Semsarian C, Moynihan R. The Christmas gift of genetic uncertainty. BMJ. 2017 Dec 22;359:j5762. doi: 10.1136/bmj.j5762.
  • Pathirana T, Clark J, Moynihan R. Mapping the drivers of overdiagnosis to potential solutions. BMJ. 2017 Aug 16;358:j3879.
  • Schwartz L, Woloshin S, Heath I, Moynihan R, MacDonald H. The Overdiagnosis Community Targets Solutions BMJ Blog, August 2017 .
  • Nickel B, Barratt A, Copp T, Moynihan R, McCaffery K Words do matter: a systematic review on how different terminology for the same condition influences management preferences. BMJ Open. 2017 Jul 10;7(7):e014129.
  • Fabbri A, Grundy Q, Mintzes B, Swandari S, Moynihan R, Walkom E, Bero LA.A cross-sectional analysis of pharmaceutical industry-funded events for health professionals in Australia. BMJ Open. 2017 Jun 30;7(6):e016701
  • Nickel B, Brito JP, Barratt A, Jordan S, Moynihan R, McCaffery K.Clinicians’ Views on Management and Terminology for Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: A Qualitative Study. Thyroid. 2017 May;27(5):661-671. doi: 10.1089/thy.2016.0483. Epub 2017 Mar 21.
  • Moynihan, R., Sims, R., Hersch, J., Thomas, R., Glasziou, P. & McCaffery, K. J.Communicating about overdiagnosis: Learning from community focus groups on osteoporosis. 1 Feb 2017 In : PLoS One. 12, 2, e0170142
  • Medew, J. & Moynihan, R. Improving coverage of medical research in a changing media environment. 18 Apr 2017 In : CMAJ. 189, 15, p. E551-E552
  • Traeger, A. C., Moynihan, R. N. & Maher, C. G.Wise choices: Making physiotherapy care more valuable. 2017 In : Journal of Physiotherapy.
  • Moynihan, R. & Bero, L. Toward a healthier patient voice: More independence, less industry funding. 17 Jan 2017 In : JAMA Internal Medicine.
  • Moynihan, R. N.Overdiagnosis and overtreatment: Beware of guidelines with expanded disease definition. 2016 Shared decision making in health care: Achieving evidence-based patient choice. Elwyn, G., Edwards, A. & Thompson, R. (eds.). Oxford University Press, p. 129-134 6 p.
  • Moynihan, R. N. Preventing overdiagnosis – winding back the harms of too much medicine 2016 In : Portuguese Journal of Nephrology and Hypertension. 30, 1, p. 14-15 2 p.
  • McCaffery, K. J., Jansen, J., Scherer, L. D., Thornton, H., Hersch, J., Carter, S. M., Barratt, A., Sheridan, S., Moynihan, R., Waller, J., Brodersen, J., Pickles, K. & Edwards, A. Walking the tightrope: Communicating overdiagnosis in modern healthcare. 5 Feb 2016 In : British Medical Journal. 352, i348
  • Moynihan, R.Caution! diagnosis creep. 1 Apr 2016 In : Australian Prescriber. 39, 2, p. 30-31 2 p.
  • Johansson, M., Jørgensen, K. J., Getz, L. & Moynihan, R. “Informed choice” in a time of too much medicine-no panacea for ethical difficulties. 9 May 2016 In : British Medical Journal. 353, i2230
  • Nickel, B., Barratt, A., Hersch, J., Moynihan, R., Irwig, L. & McCaffery, K. How different terminology for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) impacts women’s concern and management preferences: A qualitative study. 2015 In : Breast. 24, 5, p. 673-679 .
  • McCaffery, K., Nickel, B., Moynihan, R., Hersch, J., Teixeira-Pinto, A., Irwig, L. & Barratt, A. How different terminology for ductal carcinoma in situ impacts women’s concern and treatment preferences: A randomised comparison within a national community survey. 2015 In : BMJ Open. 5, 11, 7 p., 008094
  • Moynihan, R. Preventing overdiagnosis: The myth, the music, and the medical meeting. 18 Mar 2015 In : British Medical Journal. 350, h1370
  • Moynihan R. Article on the proposed “female Viagra” – The Saturday Paper, July 4, 2015
  • Moynihan R. Article on expanding disease definitions – The Saturday Paper, June 20, 2015
  • Moynihan R, Nickel B, Hersch J, Doust J, Barratt A, Beller E, McCaffery K. What do you think overdiagnosis means?: a qualitative analysis of responses from a national community survey of Australians. BMJ Open, 2015;5. DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007436.
  • Moynihan R, Nickel B, Hersch J, Beller EM, Doust JA, Compton S, Barratt A, Bero L, McCaffery K. Public opinions about overdiagnosis: a national community survey. PLOS One, 2015. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125165.
  • Moynihan R, Privacy is Theft – Sharing is Caring, BMJ Column, February 5, 2014
  • Moynihan R, Act Now to Fight Chronic Procrastination Disorder (or maybe act later), BMJ Column, October 28, 2013
  • Moynihan R, Cooke G, Doust J, et. al., Expanding Disease Definitions in Guidelines and Expert Panel Ties to Industry, PLOS Medicine, August 13, 2013
  • Moynihan R, Glassock R, Doust J, The Chronic Kidney Disease Controversy , BMJ, July 30, 2013
  • Moynihan R, Doust J, Henry D, Preventing Overdiagnosis:how to stop harming the healthy, BMJ, June 2, 2012
  • Moynihan R, When less can mean more, MJA, May 21, 2012
  • Moynihan R, The dos and don’ts of collaborating with industry, BMJ, May 8, 2012
  • Moynihan R, Times like these you need some “One Four Five” – the power of music, BMJ, March 28, 2012
  • MoynihaR, One Click Transparency , MJA March 5, 2012
  • Moynihan R, A healthy dose of disinvestment MJA, February 20, 2012
  • Moynihan R, Assualting Alternative Medicine: worthwhile or witch-hunt?, BMJ, February 15, 2012
  • Moynihan R, The Greening of Medicine, BMJ, January 21, 2012
  • Moynihan R, A watchdog to bite the giants (corporate medicine), MJA column, January 16, 2012
  • Moynihan R, Forget Sponsorship and free Trips – Welcome to Pharmacare , BMJ, January 4, 2012
  • Moynihan R, How to get full meaningful disclosure, MJA column, November 21, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Is journalism the drug industry’s new dance partner?, BMJ column, November 2, 2011
  • Moynihan R, The downside of anti-depressants, MJA column, October 17, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Radio documentary with former pharmaceutical saleswoman, ABC Radio National, October 16, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Health in the Green Economy, MJA column, September 19, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Is Your Mum on Drugs?, BMJ column, August 24, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Surrogates Under Scrutiny, BMJ feature, August 15, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Pharmaville – the Latest Fad in Online Gaming, BMJ Column, July 6, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Its Time to Rebuild the Evidence Base, BMJ Column, May 25, 2011
  • Moynihan R, A New Deal on Disease Definition, BMJ feature and Cover Story, May 3, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Power to the People, BMJ Column, April 6, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Overdiagnosis and the dangers of early detection, BMJ Column, February 26, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Housing Affordability Crisis Deepens, The Echo, February 22, 2011
  • Moynihan R, Beware the fortune tellers peddling genetic tests, BMJ Column, January 8, 2011
  • Moynihan R, The merging of marketing and medical science: female sexual dysfunction, BMJ, September 30, 2010
  • Moynihan R, A Health check for the business of medicine, ABC The Drum, September 3, 2010
  • Moynihan R, Who benefits from treating Pre-hypertension?, BMJ, August 24, 2010
  • Moynihan R, Popular pills, devastating side-effects, ABC The Drum, July 12, 2010
  • Moynihan R, Drug giants secret love-in with Aussie Sexperts, ABC The Drum, June 16, 2010
  • Moynihan R, Was the swine flu a fake pandemic?, ABC The Drum, June 11, 2010
  • Robertson J, Walkom E, Moynihan R, Bero L, Henry D. Pharmaceutical industry funding of educational events for pharmacists in Australia: an analysis of data from the first 6 months of a mandatory disclosure programme. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2010;18(2):88 – 92.
  • Moynihan R, “Health policy in times of crisis“, Health Policy Monitor, based on reports from 7 network countries, Bertelsmann Foundation, Germany, December 2009
  • Robertson J, Moynihan R, et. Al.. Mandatory disclosure of pharmaceutical industry-funded events for health professionals.PLoS Med. 2009 Nov;6(11):e1000128. Epub 2009 Nov 3.
  • D’Arcy E, Moynihan R (2009) Can the Relationship between Doctors and Drug Companies Ever Be a Healthy One? PLoS Med 6(7): e1000075.
  • Moynihan R, Doctors and drug companies: Is the dangerous liaison drawing to an end? Z. Evid. Fortbild. Qual. Gesundh. wesen (ZEFQ) 103 (2009):141–148
  • Moynihan R, Producer and Presenter of Faith and the Fix, ABC Radio National “Encounter” program on drug and alcohol addiction and naltrexone controversy. November 23, 2008
  • Schwartz L, Woloshin S, Moynihan R, ‘Who’s watching the watchdogs?’, BMJ, 2008. 2008;337:a2535
  • Moynihan R, Carlisle W, Burne M, Paying the Medical Piper, ABC Radio National, Background Briefing, February 24, 2008
  • Moynihan R, Health Firms Spruik Drug Firms, The Australian , February 22, 2008, Page 1.
  • Moynihan R, Key opinion leaders: Independent Experts or Drug Representatives in Disguise? BMJ. 2008 Jun 21;336(7658):1402-3.
  • Moynihan R, Doctors’ Education: The Invisible Influence of Drug Company Sponsorship.
    BMJ. 2008 Feb 23;336(7641):416-7.
  • Moynihan R, Burne M, Eight-part electronic- video documentary (eVD) series for WHO committee : Making Health Systems Healthier, 2008
  • Moynihan R, Oxman A, Lavis J, Paulsen E, Evidence Informed health Policy: Using Research to Make Health Systems Healthier Report to WHO committee on Evidence Informed Health Policy, 2008
  • Sweet M, Moynihan R, Improving Population Health: The Uses of Systematic Reviews
    Produced by Milbank Memorial Fund, in Collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2007
  • Moynihan R, Profile of Professor Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Good Weekend, Sydney Morning Herald, 2005
  • Moynihan R Making medical journalism healthier The Lancet 2003;361:2097
  • Moynihan R, Three- part series on US, Australian and Swedish Health Systems
    Australian Financial Review. October 9-11, 2000
  • Moynihan R., et al Coverage by the News Media of the Benefits and Risks of Medications Abstract N Engl J Med 2000; 342:1645-1650, Jun 1, 2000
  • Tipsheet for reporting on drugs, devices and medical technologies