Clinical
Ceasing use
An Australian study of 10,000 patients has found opioid cessation led to reduced pain and improved function in people attending chronic pain services Researchers from the Australian Health Services Research …
Keeping on schedule
No change to Symbicort scheduling, TGA confirms, however an antihistamine will move to Schedule 3 The TGA has confirmed a previous interim decision to reject the downscheduling of the asthma …
Pharmacists crucial to ICU follow-up
More than 80% of COVID-19 ICU patients required a medication intervention in this study, with a pharmacist stepping in to identify changes Pharmacists can deliver interventions that provide significant benefit …
Top drugs linked to serious adverse events
Adverse drug events with commonly prescribed medicines need to be monitored, say researchers A US study has found that adverse drug events (ADEs) from potentially inappropriate medicines occurred frequently among …
Getting the jab
Which Australians are getting their influenza vaccination in pharmacies, and why? New research provides some answers Despite new policies allowing pharmacists around Australia to administer influenza vaccines, most Australian adults …
Dealing with pain, or is it?
The jury is out on the efficacy of paracetamol for reducing pain in many conditions, new Australian research reveals For most conditions, evidence regarding the effectiveness of paracetamol is insufficient …
Vaccine questions confronted
Minister and health officials talk up Australia’s vaccine program as first clotting case emerges and questions over speed continue Health Minister Greg Hunt and leading medical officials have moved to …
Keeping up to date
A review of the recent changes to prescription medicine listings and new product listings Our monthly review of medicine listing changes, from MIMS Australia New Products Budesonide (Jorveza) is a …
The opioid snapshot
New data reveals the largest increase for a decade in the number of patients receiving opioid dependency treatment On a snapshot day in 2020, over 53,300 clients received pharmacotherapy treatment …
Asthma handbook updated
An updated version of the national asthma handbook has been released The National Asthma Council Australia has updated the Australian Asthma Handbook to assist health professionals to provide appropriate management …
Mixed results on vax acceptance
Which demographic groups are likely to be resistant to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine? Australian research provides some guidance Will enough people be willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination to ensure …
Filling in the gaps
COVID-19 forced pharmacy to successfully “respond and innovate” but pandemic tensions may lead to medication misinformation, pharmacy leader says During the last twelve months, pharmacy has responded and innovated in …