pain management
Stop calling them ‘painkillers’
A new paper from the SHPA has exposed national inconsistencies in provision of pharmacy services to reduce the risk of opioid misuse “These tablets, they’re not lollies,” outgoing president of …
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 …
The week in review
As Victorians head to the polls, we wrap up the last week in community pharmacy The Pharmacy Guild‘s Anthony Tassone has supported one measure announced by Victoria’s Liberal National Opposition—an …
Libs support pain services, not safe injecting
The Victorian Opposition has pledged to both invest in pain services, and shut down Richmond’s injecting room Anthony Tassone, president of the Pharmacy Guild’s Victorian branch, has welcomed the former …
A snapshot of opioid use
New PBS data shows that opioid prevalence in Australia has increased since 2013, but incidence has decreased And in response, pain stakeholders have called for better access to multi-disciplinary treatments, …
Chronic Pain MedsCheck… it’s here
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has announced services have started under the Chronic Pain MedsCheck Trial Participating community pharmacies that have completed the required training will start recording trial services …
Opioid deaths nearly double
More hospitalisations are caused by side effects of intended use of licit opioids, than from illicit use or misuse Harms highlighted in a new report underline the pressing need for …
Guild defends real time monitoring
Pain groups have questioned the upcoming implementation of the national real time prescription monitoring system, saying it puts the “cart before the horse” But the Pharmacy Guild’s Anthony Tassone has …
Batten down the hatches
The Guild defends its Chronic Pain MedsCheck Trial after further criticism, this time from a leading Australian pain specialist body The Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New …
Maxigesic ads found misleading
AFT Pharmaceuticals has engaged in false and misleading conduct in its Maxigesic advertising, the Federal Court has found The Court found that AFT, the manufacturer of the pain relief brand …
PHI changes could reignite opioid crisis
Pharmacists are warned they may see more pain sufferers heading back to prescription opioids and excluded from private care The Neuromodulation Society of Australia and New Zealand has expressed concerns …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby takes a look at the latest in research news Anticonvulsants in the treatment of low back pain and lumbar radicular pain A systematic review and meta-analysis has demonstrated …