Dramaceuticals

RubyDuke Communications
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Dramaceuticals is the podcast by RubyDuke, keeping your finger on the pulse of medcomms, pharma and healthcare - the big ideas, the hot topics, and everything in between. Hosted by people who work in the industry, Dramaceuticals takes a curious, candid and occasionally irreverent look at the science, stories and strange moments shaping our world. From emerging research and breakthrough treatments to the latest developments in AI, we dig into the stories making headlines and ask what they actually mean for healthcare, pharma and the people working within them. Expect conversations that move from the genuinely fascinating to the slightly ridiculous - often sometimes within the space of a few minutes.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Ep.03: Fraud, plague and birthday cake

    Scientific fraud, deadly birthdays, planting false memories in mice, the genetic legacy of the Black Death, and why Post-it notes might be the secret to overcoming writer's block. In episode 3 of Dramaceuticals, Joe and Sam unpack the science, stories and absurdities catching their attention across pharma, medcomms and healthcare. They explore how Andrew Wakefield's infamous MMR paper helped fuel a global anti-vaccine movement, why research suggests you might be more likely to suffer a cardiovascular event on your birthday, and how scientists have used light to manipulate neurons and create false fear associations in mice. Christopher Nolan, take note. There's also a trip back to the Black Death to discover how surviving the plague may have shaped our immune systems today, plus some practical advice for medical writers struggling with the dreaded blank page. And, naturally, a discussion about whether birthday cards are a workplace health hazard, the benefits of physical Post-it notes, and why Tom Jones might be the ultimate test of good science communication. We are RubyDuke.co.uk Freelance medical writers who transform science into storytelling. We provide a reliable, brilliant, and expectation-exceeding medical writing service that you can trust. References & resources: On Andrew Wakefield and the MMR controversy Wakefield AJ, et al. Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet. 1998;351:637–641. Retracted in 2010.Deer B. How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed. BMJ. 2011;342.On cardiovascular events and birthdays Saposnik G, et al. The birthday paradox: Stroke risk and birthdays. Neurology. 2006;67(2):300–304.On optogenetics and false memories Liu X, et al. Optogenetic stimulation of a hippocampal engram activates fear memory recall. Nature. 2012;484:381–385.Ramirez S, et al. Creating a false memory in the hippocampus. Science. 2013;341:387–391.On the Black Death and our immune systems Klunk J, et al. Evolution of immune genes is associated with the Black Death. Nature. 2022;611:312–319.Acronym Assassin MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella): A combined vaccine protecting against three infectious diseases. Extensive research has found no causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism.TIA (Transient Ischaemic Attack): A temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, sometimes called a mini-stroke. Symptoms usually resolve quickly, but it is an important warning sign of stroke risk.AMI (Acute Myocardial Infarction): The medical term for a heart attack, occurring when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked.Neuron: A specialised nerve cell that transmits information through electrical and chemical signals.ERAP2 (Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 2): A gene involved in immune function. Certain variants have been associated with resistance to plague and susceptibility to some autoimmune diseases.PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): A mental health condition that can develop following exposure to traumatic events.

    Ep.03: Fraud, plague and birthday cake

  2. Sep 16

    Ep.02: Medical writing, career changes and forbidden jelly

    Medical writing, career changes, what MedComms actually is, how to get your first job, salaries, freelancing, pharmaceutical social media, and the forbidden allure of laboratory jelly. In episode 2 of Dramaceuticals, Joe and Sam take a step back after receiving one fairly fundamental piece of feedback from episode 1: who are you, and what actually is MedComms? From Sam’s route out of a PhD working with tuberculosis to Joe’s escape from veterinary practice via a Google search for “medical work from home”, they unpack the surprisingly wiggly routes that can lead to a career in medical writing. They explore what medical writers actually do, the different corners of the industry, what agency life looks like day to day, and how clinicians, PhD graduates and scientists can make the move into MedComms. There’s also practical advice on getting that elusive first job, what makes a CV stand out (and what gets it immediately rejected), salaries and career progression, the realities of freelancing, why social media is becoming increasingly important in pharma, and whether you really need a PhD to get through the door. We are RubyDuke.co.uk Freelance medical writers who transform science into storytelling. We provide a reliable, brilliant, and expectation-exceeding medical writing service that you can trust. References & resources: On MedComms salaries We3 Consulting. 2026 We3 MedComms Salary Survey. Available at: https://www.we3consulting.com/2026-we3medcomms-salary-survey.htmlOn social media in MedComms RubyDuke. Social Media in MedComms: what’s changed, what’s allowed, and what works? Available at: https://development.rubyduke.co.uk/replay-social-media-in-medcomms-what-s-changed-what-s-allowed-and-what-worksOn LinkedIn for health communicators RubyDuke. Leveraging LinkedIn for Health Communicators. Available at: https://development.rubyduke.co.uk/replay-leveraging-linkedin Acronym Assassin MedComms (Medical Communications): The broad field of communicating scientific and medical information to healthcare professionals, patients, the public and other healthcare decision-makers.HCP (Healthcare Professional): Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals involved in healthcare and treatment decisions.MedEd (Medical Education): Educational scientific and medical communications, often designed to help healthcare professionals understand diseases, treatments and emerging evidence.Brand comms: The more promotional and creative side of medical communications, combining scientific accuracy with marketing and storytelling.Veeva: A widely used platform in pharma for managing, reviewing and approving promotional and medical content.NICE: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which assesses medicines and other healthcare interventions for use within the NHS in England.

    Ep.02: Medical writing, career changes and forbidden jelly

  3. Aug 10

    Ep.01: Viruses, monsters and headbutts

    Computer-generated viruses, the lizard behind the GLP-1 revolution, accidentally headbutting a pharma client, truly terrible copywriting, and the tell-tale signs of AI-written content. In the first episode of Dramaceuticals, Joe and Sam unpack the science, stories and absurdities catching their attention across pharma, medcomms and healthcare - with a few questionable tangents along the way. We are RubyDuke.co.uk Freelance medical writers who transform science into storytelling. We provide a reliable, brilliant, and expectation-exceeding medical writing service that you can trust. References: On GLP-1s Deane AM, et al. Crit Care. 2010;14(5):1004. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3219279/Bolt Pharmacy. Gila Monster Venom and GLP-1: From Discovery to Diabetes Treatment. Available at: https://www.boltpharmacy.co.uk/guide/gila-monster-venom-and-glp-1Budini B, et al. eClinicalMedicine, 2026;93:103796. Available at: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(26)00043-X/fulltext On novel first lines: Lyttle Lytton contest. Available at: https://adamcadre.ac/lyttle/2026.html and https://www.bulwer-lytton.com/ On AI: College Professor Catches 32 Students Using AI With Hidden White Text Prompt. Available at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/college-professor-catches-32-cheating-162211168.html Acronym Assassin GLP-1: A naturally occurring hormone involved in blood sugar control and appetite. It’s also the basis for a major new class of diabetes and weight-loss drugs.LLM (Large Language Model): The type of AI behind tools like ChatGPT, trained on huge amounts of text to predict and generate language.Bacteriophage (phage): A virus that infects bacteria rather than humans. Researchers are exploring their potential to tackle antibiotic-resistant bacteria.Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): When microbes evolve to resist medicines designed to kill them, making infections harder to treat.DPP-4: An enzyme that rapidly breaks down GLP-1 in the body.Exendin-4: A peptide discovered in Gila monster saliva with similarities to GLP-1, which helped pave the way for GLP-1-based medicines.Semaglutide: A GLP-1-based medicine used in diabetes and weight management.Meta-analysis: Research that combines results from multiple studies to estimate the overall evidence on a question.

    Ep.01: Viruses, monsters and headbutts
  • 3 Episodes

About

Dramaceuticals is the podcast by RubyDuke, keeping your finger on the pulse of medcomms, pharma and healthcare - the big ideas, the hot topics, and everything in between. Hosted by people who work in the industry, Dramaceuticals takes a curious, candid and occasionally irreverent look at the science, stories and strange moments shaping our world. From emerging research and breakthrough treatments to the latest developments in AI, we dig into the stories making headlines and ask what they actually mean for healthcare, pharma and the people working within them. Expect conversations that move from the genuinely fascinating to the slightly ridiculous - often sometimes within the space of a few minutes.

Information

  • Creator
    RubyDuke Communications
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 RubyDuke Communications
  • Show Website
    Dramaceuticals