RGH E-Bulletin: Menopausal symptoms in women with history of breast cancer : 23/11/2009 :

"Women with a history of breast cancer can have more frequent and severe vasomotor symptoms than the general population of women. This is due in part to the use of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. As with all women, the management of vasomotor symptoms and symptoms of vaginal atrophy in women with a history of breast cancer requires an individualised, patient centred multidisciplinary approach, based upon the woman’s expectations and goals of therapy."

Click here to read this E-Bulletin in full. The E-Bulletins are archived on the AusPharmList website here.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

National Medicines Symposium 2010: registration and call for abstracts : 20/11/2009 :

The National Prescribing Service is once again hosting the National Medicines Symposium (NMS) and is calling for abstracts from across the health sector.

Now in its sixth biennium, NMS 2010 will be held at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre from 26-28 May 2010.

“The theme of NMS 2010 is Medicines in people’s live, which enables us to address quality use of medicines in the wider context of changes within the health sector, including reforms and new prescribers,” NPS CEO, Dr Lynn Weekes said.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Pharmacies looking to e-scripts : 20/11/2009 :

This week's AusPharm poll asked 'liters to tell us whether their pharmacies has signed on to an e-script gateway.

The results, shown below (click for a larger graph), tell us that over 2/3 of pharmacies have already signed on, with the Guild endorsed eRx Script Exchange the pacesetter.

While 29% of pharmacies are still to sign up only 1% of pharmacies responding to this week's poll said that they weren't going to sign on at all.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Guild Annual Dinner : 19/11/2009 :

The Pharmacy Guild annual dinner was held on Wednesday night in the Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra.

In his speech to guests Guild President Kos Sclavos spoke of the role of community pharmacies in the Australian health care system and the challenges facing pharmacy, highlighting the introduction of innovative and systemised electronic programs by the Guild. He predicted tough but fair negotiations towards the fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

You need to be a "premium" subscriber to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

AusPharm CE: Biostatistics – Building on the basics : 18/11/2009 :

The next in our series of online CE activities for 2009 is the Biostatistics – Building on the basics.

It's been prepared for us by Chris Alderman.

"In a previous review, the need for pharmacists, doctors and others involved in the interpretation of information about therapeutics to have a basic working understanding of the principles of biostatistics was discussed. Issues such as sampling, types of data, data dispersal and measures of central tendency were covered. In this update, we build upon these concepts to develop a more detailed understanding of inferential statistical techniques."

Click here to do this Continuing Education activity. Or, if you prefer, you might like to take a look at our other CE activities here .

AusPharm gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the sponsors of our CE program, MIMS.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Poll: I've signed on for e-scripts : 18/11/2009 :

One of the big pharmacy topics of 2009 has been the introduction of electronic prescriptions into community pharmacies.

The pace setter in the process has been eRx Script Exchange with its main competitor being Medisecure.

Has your pharmacy embraced e-scripts? Please let us know by voting in today's poll below.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

APP 2010: OTC misadventures in children : 18/11/2009 :

OTC misadventures in children have become a hot topic, with the TGA reviewing paediatric cough and cold medications earlier this year.

A key factor in assisting you to prevent one of your patients from suffering from such an event is to maintain a thorough understanding of medication errors and adverse effects associated with S2/S3 medications.

The 2010 Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference and Trade Exhibition (APP2010), seeks to assist delegates to stay on top of these issues with a Clinical Bites session specifically targeting OTC misadventure in children.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Union OH&S campaign : 18/11/2009 :

The Pharmacists Division of APESMA has launched an “I should feel safe in my workplace” campaign to identify workplace hazards in pharmacy, and to provide support and advice to members on how to deal with hazards.

In order to gain a better understanding of existing occupational health and safety practices in the pharmacy workplace, the union is asking employee pharmacists to complete an online survey.

The short, anonymous survey can be found here.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

After the War on Drugs: Blueprint for Regulation : 17/11/2009 :

There is a growing school of thought around the world that prohibition of drugs is a failed policy initiative. However, a barrier to drug law reform has been a widespread fear of the unknown—just what could a post-prohibition regime look like?

A new publication, launched in Australia on Monday by Senator Peter Baume (former Liberal Party Senator and Federal Minister and former Chancellor of the ANU) and journalist Philip Adams, After the War on Drugs: Blueprint for Regulation, attempts to answer that question by proposing specific models of regulation for each main type and preparation of prohibited drug, coupled with the principles and rationale for doing so. According to the authors, pharmacy may have a role to play, perhaps as a source of supply for some drug classes.

You can download a copy here (full document or executive summary).

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

December 2009 PBS schedule : 17/11/2009 :

Would you like to check to see whether the December price reductions (eg Perindopril, Pravastatin, Quinapril, Risperidone, Trandolapril) will affect your business?

Take a look at the December PBS schedule and 'Summary of Changes',  now on-line:

Full PBS schedule

Summary of changes

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

TGA CMI/PI website up and running : 17/11/2009 :

The Therapeutic Goods Administration announced yesterday that it's new medicines information website had gone live. The website hosts prescription medicine Product Information and Consumer Medicine Information.

Information for over 200 prescribed medicines has been uploaded and others will be added progressively until full coverage is achieved early in 2010. Take a look here.

Of course, at least for the time being, much more complete lists are available at the medicines.org.au or myDr websites.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

RGH E-Bulletin: Cilostazol : 16/11/2009 :

"Intermittent claudication is reversible muscle ischaemia that occurs while walking, characterised by a cramping or aching pain which is relieved by rest. This can lead to impaired exercise performance and a decrease in overall function, ultimately affecting quality of life. The most effective treatment for IC is a supervised exercise program and there is a large amount of evidence to support this strategy. When this method is unable to provide adequate benefit pharmacological therapy may be indicated."

Click here to read this E-Bulletin in full. The E-Bulletins are archived on the AusPharmList website here.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

OTC awards presented : 16/11/2009 :

Awards for Australia’s most innovative healthcare products, promotions and self care initiatives were announced at the Australian Self-Medication Industry (ASMI) Conference, hel in Sydney last week.

The 2009 ASMI Awards were presented by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, the Hon Mark Butler MP, and reflect achievement in product innovation and promotion in the consumer healthcare products sector.

The judging of the awards takes into account the application of Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) principles, which underpin Australia’s National Medicines Policy, and which emphasise the appropriate, safe and effective use of medications including all forms of information and labeling.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

New DVD explains medicines use issues for type 2 diabetes patients : 16/11/2009 :

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) and Diabetes TASMANIA will today launch a new educational DVD aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, which addresses medicines use issues.

The DVD is designed to be used by health professionals and community organisations when discussing the management of type 2 diabetes with newly diagnosed patients. 

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Patient Medication Profiling not yet embraced by pharmacists : 13/11/2009 :

This week's poll asked 'listers to let us know whether they were offering their patients a Medication Profiling (PMP) service and, if so, what they were charging.

We had a much smaller voter turnout than usual for this poll - we attribute this in part to uncertainty amongst 'listers as to exactly what a PMP involves. The raw data is shown below (click here for a larger version of the graph).

What it seems to show is that while 2/3 of those responding are offering the service, about half of these are only offering it to their 'funded' patients (click here for an explanation of 'funded'). Excluding these people, almost no-one is actually getting paid an appropriate fee for this service.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Pharmacy Practice Foundation awards announced : 13/11/2009 :

The 2009 Pharmacy Practice Foundation Governors’ Dinner was held last night in the Great Hall at The University of Sydney. 

Each year, three medals of excellence in pharmacy practice are awarded to individuals. These medals reward those who have had a significant role to play in advancing pharmacy practice in this country.

This years winners were John Coppock, Elizabeth Frost and Dr Jenny Gowan.

You need to be a "premium" subscriber to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

POTY nominations closing soon : 13/11/2009 :

There are now less than six weeks to go before entries close for Pharmacy of the Year 2010 competition, being organised by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in partnership with Johnson and Johnson Pacific.

All travel and registration costs will be paid for category winners to attend the award ceremony at the Australian Professional Pharmacy (APP) conference on the Gold Coast in March 2010. Winners will share in a $17,500 cash prize pool.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

ASMI lobbying for less regulation on OTCs : 13/11/2009 :

Australia’s system of regulating non-prescription medicines could benefit from the experience of the UK health system, which has seen a cut in red tape, more streamlined processes for industry and more timely access to medicines for the public following a shift to a more risk-based approach, the Australian Self-Medication Industry (ASMI) Conference in Sydney heard yesterday.

The UK has recently implemented a program to better regulate medicines, known as the Better Regulation of Medicines Initiative (BROMI, in which a risk-based approach is taken to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines regulation.

You need to be a "premium" subscriber to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Tomorrow is World Diabetes Day : 13/11/2009 :

Diabetes currently affects more than 285 million people worldwide. A further 344 million are at high risk of developing diabetes.

The International Diabetes Federation predicts that by 2030, over 435 million people will live with diabetes worldwide. 

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Join In, Join Up : 13/11/2009 :

Join In, Join Up! – a national initiative linking Australians with their community via 5,000 community pharmacies and Australia’s largest online directory of community groups – is being launched today.

The joint initiative of Telstra Foundation, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and community group support organisation Our Community, will see the Guild's 5,000 member pharmacies across Australia actively promoting the benefits of joining a community group.

You need to be a "premium" subscriber to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Click here to go to the old "Industry News" page (pre 01/09/2006).