She is a medical sociologist with particular interests in communication about, and use of, prescribed medicines; qualitative research and the synthesis of qualitative research; and patient and public involvement in research. She has published well over 200 peer reviewed articles about a wide range of topics in sociology, primary care, and health services research as well as several books. She is one of the top 2% most highly cited authors in the field of public health internationally. Nicky Britten’s book ‘Medicines and Society: patients, professionals and the dominance of pharmaceuticals’ (Palgrave 2008) argued that patients and the public are insufficiently involved at all stages of the life cycle of prescription medicines.

Nicky Britten is an honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and is a former resident at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Italy.