No CMI? : 29/05/2009 :

A few weeks back, at the request of PDL, we collectively put together a list of products that did not have a bar code to scan.

What about CMIs? Let's see if we can put together a list of products that don't have a CMI.

One that leaps to mind immediately is Panadol Osteo. Are there others? What are they?

Survival packs encourage students to go rural : 29/05/2009 :

Going bush in their pre-registration year just became easier for metropolitan pharmacy students, thanks to the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s new ‘survival packs’.

The new packs include items to help students ‘survive’ a year in regional and remote Australia, including a phone card, hat, jellybeans, waterproof disposable camera, photo album and sunscreen.

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Swine flu : 29/05/2009 :

For those of you who haven't already bookmarked the federal government's official swine flu info page (so you can get the good oil not the hype and/or media frenzy) it's here.

The latest info from PSA is here and the Guild, here.

World No Tobacco Day : 29/05/2009 :

This coming Sunday, May 31, is World No Tobacco Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen "Tobacco Health Warnings" as the theme for this year's World No Tobacco Day.

According to WHO, picture warnings have been shown to be particularly effective at making people aware of the health risks of tobacco use and convincing them to quit.

More info is available at the WHO World No Tobacco Day website, here.or, locally, here.

FDA recommends changes to paracetamol dosing, labeling : 29/05/2009 :

An FDA working group has recommended changes to paracetamol dosing and labeling to attempt to decrease paracetamol-induced liver damage.

For OTC paracetamol, the group's recommendations include limiting the single adult dose to a maximum of 650 mg, lowering the maximum daily dose for adults from 4000 mg to no greater than 3250 mg (and less than that for chronic alcohol users) and limiting immediate-release tablet formulations for adults to 325 mg. The group also recommended paracetamol be removed from compound analgesics and that children's liquid preparations be standardised to one strength. The working group's full report is here.

An FDA Advisory Groups will meet in June to consider the working group's recommendations.

This week is Macular Degeneration Awareness Week : 28/05/2009 :

Because many people become short-sighted by the time they reach 40. Webstercare has been working on a pack that caters for low vision clients.

Low Vision (LV) is the terminology used by Vision Australia ( formerly the Royal Blind Society). When Webstercare staff visited their offices recently, they noticed that they use reverse text in their signage. Vision Australia explained that it is easier for a person with low vision to make out white text against a black background. This led to the development of the Webster-pak LV which uses a black folder with white text.

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Anaphylaxis training can save a life : 28/05/2009 :

(This is topical in light of the current AusPharmList discussion on administering flu vaccines.)

Red Cross is now offering a course in the First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis.

The organisation says it is suitable for for parents, childcare providers, teachers and sporting groups.

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Doctors and pharmacists : 28/05/2009 :

This in yesterday from one of our Pharma rep members.

"Just back from an interesting weekend at Sydney (Homebush) for GPCE, the doctor’s equivalent of APP. It was a very interesting experience, never having been to one before.

By far the biggest difference is the ‘pen grab’ ratio - it's much higher for GPs than it is pharmacists!"

PBAC July meeting agenda : 28/05/2009 :

Poll result: should Pharmacy Boards be more proactive? : 28/05/2009 :

This week's poll asked 'listers whether they thought Pharmacy Boards should take a more proactive stance in enforcing professional standards in pharmacies.

The result, shown below, seems clear. 89% of respondents (n=100) think they should be more proactive. 9% disagreed with this proposition and 9% told us that their local inspectors were 'pretty out there' already.

Pharmacy Boards, over to you.

Poll: should Pharmacy Boards be more proactive? : 27/05/2009 :

A few posts to AusPharmList were elicitied by last week's poll (Should pharmacy Board inspectors make an appointment?). Ron Batagol's post floated the idea that perhaps the Boards should be a little more proactive in their approach to monitoring standards in pharmacies (as opposed to waiting for a complaint to be made).  Should they, for example, be mystery shopping pharmacies to assess their performance on Nurofen Plus/Mersyndol etc (with appropriate sanctions imposed on those who don't measure up)?

Please let us know what you think by voting in today's poll below.

PHARMeFOOTY weekly wrap : 27/05/2009 :

NRL Round 11 was easy work for tippers with 38 selecting all 8 winners, so the margin again becomes crucial! Congratulations to Jeanette Vaughan of Medicare Australia who tipped the margin perfectly and takes out the weekly win, the $50 is yours to spend.

Last weeks winner, locum Ken Sternes, kept up his good form to come 2nd with Paul Downes of Essendon Pharmacy in 3rd place. Overall Jeanette Vaughan of Medicare Australia's good form has taken her to the top of the Leaderboard with Shane Lowcock from Figtree Plaza Chemist and Andrew Siu of Herforts YouSave Pharmacy just 1 point behind in 2nd and 3rd placing. It’s your turn in Round 12!

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This week is Kidney Health Week : 27/05/2009 :

The number of Australians becoming sick and dying from kidney failure is rising rapidly, largely due to avoidable lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure.

In 2007, diseases of the kidney and urinary tract jumped into the top 10 leading causes of death among Australians, with 3,230 deaths. Many of these deaths could have been prevented. Risk factors for chronic kidney disease include diabetes and high blood pressure. Other contributing factors may include tobacco smoking and physical inactivity.

Pharmacists have an opportunity to help prevent kidney disease by assisting their hypertensive patients achieve and maintain good blood pressure control.

For more information, visit the Kidney Health Australia website: http://www.kidney.org.au/

SBS Insight: Doctors and Drugs : 27/05/2009 :

Last night's SBS TV Insight program was indeed an interesting watch. It looked at the relationship between Big Pharma and doctors, focusing on the influence Pharma marketing has on prescribing decisions. Both sides in the debate had 'wins' on the night.

If you missed it you can watch it here later.

Tassie students wow the public during Pharmacy Week : 26/05/2009 :

Last Thursday at Centrepoint shopping centre in Hobart the Tasmanian Association of Pharmacy Students (TAPS) manned a stall to provide health information to shoppers and to raise awareness of the pharmacy profession and Tasmanian students as the future of pharmacy inj that state.

The Tasmanian branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia lent their support for the event, providing pharmacists and PSA representatives. The Tasmanian PSA branch is currently running a smoking cessation campaign and TAPS were able to incorporate this as a main theme for the stall. The group provided Quit packs, self-care fact cards and referrals to Quit services.

Pictured at the stall are: Paquita Sutherland, Helen Howarth, Kathryn Law, Leah Hodgkinson, Mel Homan and and Kathleen Shearer (click the picture to see a lerger version). 

Swine flu update : 26/05/2009 :

PSA yesterday released a paper to update the current situation regarding swine influenza and to provide information to help PSA members with public enquiries. You can get it on the PSA website here.

There was also an interesting swine flu piece in yesterday's Crikey (here), from Peter Collignon, Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist and Professor, School of Clinical Medicine, Australian National University.

PSA Annual General Meeting : 25/05/2009 :

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia will be holding its annual general meeting at the Hotel Realm, 18 National Circuit, Barton, ACT 2600, on Wednesday, 3 June 2009 at 5.45pm.

You can download a proxy form here and the PSA 2008 Annual Report here.

RGH E-Bulletin: Metoclopramide and movement disorders : 25/05/2009 :

"Patients receiving long-term metoclopramide treatment are at risk for tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia is one of the clinical manifestations of drug-induced movement disorders along with akathisia, dystonia and parkinsonism. It is a hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements of the extremities, or lip smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movements or blinking, puckering and pursing of the lips, or impaired movement of the fingers."

Click here to read the bulletin in full.

The E-Bulletin is archived and previous editions can be viewed on the AusPharm website here.

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This week is Macular Degeneration Awareness Week : 25/05/2009 :

As a means of raising community awareness of macular degeneration (MD) during Macular Degeneration Awareness Week, the Macular Degeneration Foundation are promoting the importance of diet in preventing MD.
 
“MD Awareness Week is an opportunity for all Australians to have their eyes tested (making sure the macula is checked), to understand the symptoms of MD for early detection and to start making simple, everyday dietary and lifestyle changes; the same way they would for heart disease or diabetes, ” said Chief Executive Officer of the MD Foundation, Julie Heraghty.

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Former Guild CEO re-surfaces : 25/05/2009 :

Former Pharmacy Guild Executive Director (2006-2008) and former CEO of Medicines Australia (2003-2006), Kieran Schneemann, has re-entered the pharma industry as a government lobbyist for Astra Zeneca. Industry media outlet PharmainFocus reports that Mr Schneeman is now Astra Zeneca's Government Affairs Director, Market Access Division.

Mr Schneeman, pictured at right, resigned his position at the Guild suddenly in July 2008 to pursue other interests.

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