opioids
Chronic pain and opioids: How to talk tapering
Knowing how to begin patient conversations about opioid tapering can be challenging so NPS MedicineWise offers some practice tips to get the conversation off on the right footing. Use the …
Chronic pain and opioids: Carers must be opioid aware
With opioid literacy an ongoing problem, Carers Australia is urging pharmacists to play a more active role in identifying carers of people relying on opioids for pain relief, and to …
Headache and migraine: Make some headroom
Pharmacists can make a difference to the burden of headache and migraine, given research shows GPs aren’t adequately trained and 50% of patients haven’t even been properly diagnosed. The 2020-21 …
Opioids ease osteoarthritis pain only slightly
Their deadly risks need to be weighed against any benefit, write Wasim Awal, Griffith University; Christina Abdel Shaheed and Christopher Maher, University of Sydney Osteoarthritis is one of the leading …
Pharmacist boosts drug safety
A study has found that a pharmacist-led clinic reduced opioid consumption by 15%, while 90% of GPs planned to implement at least one recommendation A study has found positive impacts …
The week in review
Once again, COVID-19 vaccination made headlines this week, with a big announcement for pharmacy The Pharmacy Guild‘s Trent Twomey launched the pharmacy COVID-19 booster shot program this week, in which …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby rounds up the latest in research news Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia are common during pregnancy and are associated …
Call for better consumer warnings
An MP has argued for improved consumer warnings in CMIs following a young man’s death after taking multiple prescribed medicines Dr Anne Aly, Member for Cowan in WA, has called …
Good news on naloxone, for some
The extension of the take-home naloxone pilot doesn’t go far enough, one expert says The Government announced in Tuesday’s Budget that it will provide $3.9 million in 2021‑22 to extend the …
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 …
‘Hillbilly heroin’ dispensed on defaced, altered handwritten scripts
A pharmacist has had his bid to reinstate his registration knocked back in a Tribunal hearing which noted that his former store now belonged to his son In June 2018, …
Problematic opioid use often temporary: study
Aussie researchers followed more than 1500 people with pain over five years… what did they find? Contrary to predominant thinking in pain management, there is considerable fluidity in opioid use …