overdose
Opioid, benzo deaths still rising
A “very disturbing” new report shows that unintentional drug overdose deaths continue to rise – with pharmaceutical opioids and benzodiazepines a particular concern Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2019, issued by …
Be prepared
How willing are community pharmacists to be trained about naloxone and opioid overdose prevention? New Australian research published in Science Direct found there is significant interest in attending such training, …
Clinical tips: naloxone
Who should be offered naloxone? The range of patients may be wider than some health professionals and patients think, writes Carlene McMaugh Naloxone is an important medicine for preventing toxicity …
‘Tragic death’ caused by mixing drugs
A young man has died after ingesting oxycodone, MDMA, codeine, Phenergan, Xanax and alcohol while at a party with mates A 22-year-old man passed away on 28 January last year following …
Widen RTM scope to all S3, S4 meds: coroner
A coroner has recommended making the ACT’s DORA system mandatory for all prescribers and pharmacists, after the death of a woman from multi-drug toxicity Forty-eight-year-old Lauren Maree Johnstone died in …
An ‘unusual’ case
A man has died by overdose in a GP surgery after taking drugs alongside the GP’s daughter – who also worked at the practice A 43-year-old man from Adelaide has …
Passing the test
Following a series of drug-related deaths at music festivals in late 2018 and early 2019, momentum is gathering among health professionals to explore one potential solution: pill testing. Megan Haggan …
‘It will take courage to face the failure of our current drug policies.’
NSW Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame has called for a drug summit, attention to real time prescribing, better access to drug substitution programs and better pharmacy takeup of naloxone She …
Dentist’s ‘alarming misunderstanding’ of pharmacist role
A dentist has been reprimanded after prescribing benzodiazepines to a two-year-old and a seven-year-old who both later presented to emergency departments A NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing has heard …
Pharmacy pill testing could be ‘feasible’
Harm minimisation stakeholders and the family of a young woman who died over the weekend have urged politicians to trial pill testing And community pharmacies could serve as a base …
Ambulance call-outs for pregabalin have spiked – here’s why
by Shalini Arunogiri, Monash University; Dan Lubman, Monash University, and Rose Crossin, Monash University Pregabalin (sold under the brand name Lyrica) is prescribed as an anti-epileptic and a painkiller for …
Pill testing proposed in Tassie
New legislation has been tabled by the Greens in parliament to allow for drug-testing services in the state Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff tabled the Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Drug Analysis) …