Statement from UKSBM on recent media attacks on Professor Susan Michie

Professor Susan Michie is a highly distinguished clinical psychologist and one of the world’s leading health psychologists. She has delivered high quality, scientific research in the field of health behaviour and behaviour change over the last 3 decades. We are disappointed to have read the personal attacks directed at her in the media recently.

Mirroring the supportive statements of the British Psychological Society, we agree that “Professor Michie has a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise that she has contributed to the response to the global pandemic, as an influential member of both SAGE and Independent SAGE.”

The UK Society for Behavioural Medicine condemns the personalised nature of the recent media stories about Professor Michie. Instead of engaging with the critical life-and-death issues of how we as a society can best respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have launched a highly personalised attack on Professor Michie’s character. These messages seem to be designed to discredit her research, her work and her messages and as such appear to be politically motivated. The media would do better service to society by engaging with the key health messages and personal behavioural strategies we all need to engage in to minimise spread of the virus.

The UK Society for Behavioural Medicine would like to state its support for Professor Michie and for the need to use scientific evidence rather than tittle-tattle as the basis for making decisions about health in this country.

Signed on behalf of UKSBM,

Prof. Colin Greaves

UKSBM President