News
New therapies for hep C listed
New therapies have been PBS listed for the treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C virus. AbbVie Australia today announced that Viekira Pak (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir tablets; dasabuvir tablets) and …
New chemo listing in indolent Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
A cancer medicine that doubles progression free survival in people with indolent Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is less toxic than previous chemotherapy regimens will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme …
Vaccine refusal stays largely unchanged
Research published today in the Medical Journal of Australia has found that the overall level of vaccination objection (registered and unregistered) has remained largely unchanged since 2001. Dr Frank Beard and …
One in five think anxiety is ‘putting it on’
New figures have revealed one in five Australians believe people experiencing anxiety ‘put it on’ to avoid difficult or uncomfortable situations and around half of Australians don’t know basic facts …
Boots fallout sees ‘unprecedented slew’ of mail
The Guardian has received what its letters editor suspects may be the “largest haul of mail” ever received about a single article, following reports last week that Boots management was …
When social turns unsociable
Woolworths’ social media post called “creepy” The perils of unmonitored social media use by staff have been highlighted by a fiasco involving supermarket giant Woolworths. The company is beign accused …
Antibiotic emergency
Drug company greed causing antibiotic resistance plague, pharmacy editor claims. The pharmaceutical industry is playing a substantial role in driving the growth of antimicrobial resistance by a lack of funding …
Eltroxin – your questions answered (sort of)
A new brand of thyroxine (Eltroxin) was recently released in Australia. It comes in 456 11 strengths, is not PBS listed and is not bioequivalent with other PBS listed thyroxine …
Sugar tax: a health sweetener
A 20% TAX ON SOFT DRINKS WOULD RESULT IN WIDESPREAD, LONG-LASTING PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS AND SIGNIFICANT HEALTH COST SAVINGS, A NEW STUDY SHOWS. University of Queensland School of Public Health researcher Dr …
Pharmacy Alliance supports life in full
PHARMACY ALLIANCE HAS PARTNERED WITH THE FULLIFE FOUNDATION TO RAISE FUNDS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN ETHOPIA. The Fullife Foundation was established by pharmacist and member of Pharmacy Alliance, Ian Shanks …
Passive ‘vaping’ risk
E-CIGARETTES PRESENT HEALTH RISKS FOR PEOPLE WHO VAPE OR FOR BYSTANDERS. The risk assessment report from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. only considered e-cigarettes with nicotine, since there has been very …
Boots scandal highlights benefits of pharmacist ownership
Managers at Boots, the UK’s biggest pharmacy chain, have been pressuring their pharmacists to abuse Medicine Use Reviews, providing them to patients who do not need them or cannot use …