Allergy
Pharmacists warned on pholcodine cough mixtures
Anaesthetists are calling for a ban, or an upschedule to Prescription Only, for cough medicines containing pholcodine Dr Paul McAleer, a specialist anaesthetist and chair of the multidisciplinary organisation The …
Pollen expert warns on asthma
People with hayfever are being urged to get tested for undiagnosed asthma, as a new study reveals the condition’s impact Associate Professor Cenk Suphioglu, the head of Deakin University’s pollen …
‘Penicillin allergy’ raises MRSA risk
A UK health authority has asked health practitioners to be sceptical of claimed penicillin allergies Patients who incorrectly believe they are allergic to penicillin may be placing themselves at unnecessary …
EpiPen contenders on the horizon?
While Mylan’s EpiPen has dominated the epinephrine injection market for years, two new contenders are planning to launch versions… could these help relieve shortages? With no generic versions and few …
Clinical tips: asthma
Asthma is much more than just the wheeze when symptoms appear, writes Louis Roller More than two million Australians have asthma – about one in 10 adults and about one …
Allergy strategy update
Stakeholders have called for more work to be done to manage allergies, saying $10 million is required over the next five years An event held at Parliament House, attended by …
Dermatitis for almost half of health care workers
A recent retrospective study of healthcare workers assessed in an Australian tertiary referral dermatology clinic showed that 49.7% had experienced allergic contact dermatitis Associate Professor Rosemary Nixon AM, who helps …
Strong genetic link to hayfever confirmed
Australian scientists have helped to uncover 41 genetic regions, which are estimated to account for about 40% of the genetic risk of hayfever A large international study, including contributions from …
Could allergy testing improve antibiotic use?
Incorrect antibiotic allergy labels pose a significant public health issue, says an antimicrobial stewardship expert More needs to be done to ensure Australia’s most vulnerable patients are not incorrectly diverted …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby takes a look at the latest in research news Comparative effectiveness of extended-release naltrexone versus buprenorphine-naloxone for opioid relapse prevention (X:BOT) A 24-week randomised controlled, comparative effectiveness trial …
EpiPen supply issues to continue indefinitely
While Pfizer is working to achieve ongoing availability, it reportedly cannot commit to a specific time when the supply constraint will be fully resolved Mylan/Alphapharm, the sponsor of EpiPens, has …
Hay fever not taken seriously
A fifth of hay fever sufferers have taken time off work because of their condition… but they’re afraid to be honest about it with the boss UK media report that …