MJA
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 …
Rapid rise in prescribing ‘quite concerning’
More medication reviews and education on psychotropic medicines are needed for those entering aged care, with pharmacists ‘best placed’ to provide this, say leading researchers Dispensing of psychotropic medicines to …
Shifting the debate
When it comes to pharmacist prescribing, the focus is too heavy on initiation and not enough on deprescribing, argue two pharmacy researchers The ongoing discussion about pharmacist prescribing rights in …
Twenty years too old?
With increasing changes to the way medicines are prescribed, and “alarming” levels of medicine-related harm, is there a need to update our drugs policy? Researchers have called for an update …
Pharmacist scores research excellence award
Monash Pharmacy PhD student Erica Tong has received a prestigious award from the MJA for her research paper on reducing medication errors in hospital discharge summaries Erica Tong has received …
Outrage over medicinal cannabis stance
The RACP has been criticised over its MJA article calling for caution with prescription cannabinoids A Sydney University academic has criticised an article published on behalf of the Royal Australasian …
“Media hype must be tempered by clinical evidence”
Clinicians say they are cautious as demand for prescription cannabinoids outruns research on safety profile and effectiveness Doctors have written to the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) on behalf of …
Responding to codeine effects
Under-reporting of codeine dependence is highly likely and interventions are needed, say Australian researchers in new systematic review A systematic review published this week in the Medical Journal of Australia …
“Savings through pharmacists’ dispensing”
The government’s agreement with the Guild has allowed reinvestment in the medicines sector, says Health Minister Greg Hunt Guaranteeing the MBS and the PBS is the first “pillar” of the …
What’s up, doc?
Aussie GPs are prescribing between four and nine times as many antibiotics as they should be, according to MJA research Research led by Christopher Del Mar, Professor of Public Health at Bond …
Risky business
Herbal preparations can be problematic for a variety of reasons – but what role should pharmacists play? Use of herbal medicines is increasing in Western countries despite the potential risks, …
Richard Di Natale praises Medicines Australia
Along with fellow Victorian doctors, the Greens’ leader has written a letter to the MJA praising MA’s code of conduct The letter says Medicines Australia’s October 2016 changes to its code …