Clinical
A better choice
Pharmacist “champions” can assist prescribers to make more informed choices on empirical prescribing of antibiotics, study finds More education is needed for prescribers to use antibiograms to improve their antibiotic …
‘Pharmacists will be challenged to justify a therapeutic need’
A hospital pharmacist with years of experience in the respiratory specialty has seen a “significant” increase in vaping-related illness – and says the new vaping legislation puts members of the …
Long-term opioids higher after ED, trauma admissions
Codeine combinations most dispensed after hospital discharge, with some groups revealing higher rates of long-term opioid use, study finds Long-term use of opioids following hospital admission or emergency department (ED) …
Deprescribing missing from guidelines
New research has found many clinical practice guidelines contain limited guidance on deprescribing… could pharmacists be the missing link? Deprescribing recommendations are becoming more common but are still missing from …
‘Any symptoms that cause distress should be taken seriously’
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms affect around one in six people, a large study estimates, after taking into account the “nocebo” effect One in six people who stop taking antidepressants experience discontinuation …
June MIMS update
A look at some of the recent changes to the medicines landscape, with new products and indications New Products Avacopan (Tavneos) is a selective antagonist of the human complement 5a …
Emergency pharmacists speed up pain relief
Pharmacists included on trauma response teams significantly improve speed and delivery of pain relievers to trauma patients, Melbourne trial finds The Pharmacists in Trauma (PHIT) Trial, conducted by Alfred Health …
Withdrawal a ‘very rare’ reaction, argues college
Topical corticosteroids are safe and effective, urge leading dermatology and eczema organisations in response to recent media reports about topical steroid withdrawal ABC News Breakfast reported on topical steroid withdrawal …
Greener asthma choice update
Good asthma control and more environmentally friendly choices don’t have to be mutually exclusive, say asthma experts The National Asthma Council Australia (NAC) has released new information in time for …
‘Imagine the impact pharmacists will have when you are regularly on-site’
Top-ranked complaints to aged care commission over the past decade could be addressed by on-site pharmacists, says leading expert Pharmacists have visited over 400 services across the country, providing education …
Changes confirmed
A raft of interim scheduling decisions have been confirmed, with some new Pharmacy, and Pharmacist Only, products A number of scheduling changes, announced as interim decisions earlier this year, have …
No change to paracetamol
TGA rules out a general sale option for small effervescent, child resistant, paracetamol packs The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has confirmed a preliminary decision to reject a proposal to allow …