This is a thread for all involved with the @FemaleHsdd study @imperialcollege on how to fix their 'Sexcuses' study. And also hopefully a learning point for anyone interested in what to do when research goes badly wrong and/or the problems with studying women's desire

1. The team from @FemaleHsdd study should read, reflect and collate all the feedback to their call for participants on social media. They have had a range of reactions from people distressed and angered by their approach. Noting this is vital.

2. Having noted the responses a genuine apology on social media acknowledging the distress caused by the call for participants and offering no excuses is needed.
3. All mentions of 'sexcuses' should be removed, screengrabbing these as evidence of a major error and can't be hidden

4. Next the @FemaleHsdd team should report themselves to @imperialcollege ethics committee. This should happen in the next 24 hours or sooner. Since people have already approached the ethics committee with concerns, a willingness to engage is crucial now.

5. If the study didn't get ethics approval or didn't disclose their social media recruitment plans that's a huge issue that needs addressing immediately. If @imperialcollege ethics committee approved @FemaleHsdd's social media recruitment strategy that needs investigating also

6. The ethics committee may put limitations on what can happen next but @FemaleHsdd study should themselves call a halt on their research for the moment in order to consult the literature on the history of research on women's desire, problems with pharma-funded sex research and

7. limitations of using hetero porn in experimental conditions to measure responses, alongside wider medicalisation of women's sexuality and the many very well documented causes of 'low desire'. This will take time. Training on research ethics, recruitment etc is also needed

8. None of the steps above are optional, all actions should be transparent, and ethical oversight is crucial. If it were me I'd establish an independent investigation to monitor this, if the @FemaleHsdd study does go ahead (which steps 1-7 above ought to suggest a big NO).

9. It's very beguiling to believe if you're researching low desire in women that you're a hero, a saviour. Pharma funding will tell you this and there's a long history of using passionate, personal testimonies from women to also convince you. I hope @FemaleHsdd can note this.

10. There are many ways to address issues of low desire in women. One is to ask if it's troubling them, often it isn't because there's a good reason why. And when it is education, addressing gender inequalities and relationship violence, therapy, tackling sexism all work

11. My advice to the @FemaleHsdd team @imperialcollege is to note they've gone badly wrong and use the evidence and expertise from folk who've responded to them to end this study. It isn't necessary. I imagine I will be ignored, so...

12. This study is now under scrutiny, I've told you publicly how to fix it, ideally by ending it. If it continues, so will public criticism. This isn't helping women, it's already caused harm. What happens next is entirely the choice of @FemaleHsdd study and @imperialcollege