Medicines industry R&D tops $1billion mark again : 13/10/2011 :

The Australian medicines industry’s R&D investment has exceeded $1 billion for the second successive year, according to the annual Australian Bureau of Statistics business expenditure report on R&D released yesterday.

The ABS figures show that the medicines industry attracted $1.002 billion in R&D investment in 2009-10. The medicines industry’s R&D investment was the third largest by area of business expenditure, behind financial services and mining.

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New website shows over $5.8 billion spent on mental health services : 13/10/2011 :

Over $5.8 billion, or $272 per Australian, was spent on mental health-related services in 2008–09, according to a new mental health services in Australia website unveiled today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

According to the website, an estimated 29 million prescriptions for mental health-related medications were dispensed in 2009–10, with around three quarters of these being subsidised by the Australian Government. Depression, Anxiety and Sleep disturbance were the three mental health-related problems most frequently managed by GPs in 2009–10.

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ASMI: multivitamins OK : 13/10/2011 :

Dietary supplements including multivitamins have a legitimate place in the wider health system and remain important for people whose dietary intake is inadequate, the Australian Self-Medication Industry (ASMI) said yesterday.

ASMI was responding to the Archives of Internal Medicine study, published yesterday, which suggested that multivitamins do not extend the life of older women and may increase their risk of death.

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Poll: why didn't you go to PAC11? : 12/10/2011 :

The Pharmacy Australia Congress has ended for another year. People go to conferences for many reasons - some to catch up with friends, some for the CE and some to have a look at the exhibitors' displays.

This week's poll targets those of you who DIDN'T go.

If you weren't there, why not? Please let us know by voting in this week's AusPharm poll.

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New tools to help implement 5CPA Clinical Interventions and Staged Supply Services : 12/10/2011 :

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has developed online education modules to assist pharmacists implementing the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement Clinical Interventions and Staged Supply Services.

Pharmacists can claim Group 2 CPD credits on successful completion of the modules, which are available online now.

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AusPharm server upgrades : 12/10/2011 :

The AusPharm servers will be upgraded tomorrow morning and, while we're not expecting any problems, it's not impossible we'll experience some issues.

So, if your (e)news arrives late tomorrow, this is why.

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PSA to go it alone with NSW Clinical Expo : 12/10/2011 :

The NSW Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has decided not to renew its agreement with the Pharmacy Guild to jointly present the annual Pharmacy Expo.
 
NSW Branch President of the PSA, Professor Charlie Benrimoj, said the agreement with the Pharmacy Guild NSW was due for renewal but PSA believed the Guild's proposed approach to the clinical program was not in the best interests of pharmacists or the public they serve.

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Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels : 12/10/2011 :

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is in the process of revising and updating the Required Advisory Statements for Medicine Labels dated September 2008 (RASML).

The proposed changes were made after two rounds of consultation. Comments were submitted by a number of health related organisations (including the PSA and Guild) , consumers and individuals.

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Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework: steering committee progress report : 12/10/2011 :

The Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework Steering Committee (APPFSC) is a profession-wide collaborative forum of 11 organisations which commenced work in March following a review of the competency standards for pharmacists. The Committee has issued a communiqué updating progress on a number of projects being undertaken.

The committee is in the process of developing an advanced practice framework for the pharmacy profession.

A draft discussion paper on an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework for Patient Care and a Proposal for Recognition of Advanced Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacist Practitioners will be presented to APPFSC organisations in October 2011 for initial comment. Profession-wide consultation on this initiative is expected to take place in early 2012.

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UK pharmacy group introduces first-time owners' scheme : 11/10/2011 :

With the close personal leadership of managing director and high profile UK pharmacist Kirit Patel, Day Lewis, the UK's largest independent pharmacy chain, has launched a partnership venture to assist first time pharmacy buyers. Day Lewis will offer financial and management support in return for a half share in the business.

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'Listers convinced there is an oversupply of pharmacists : 11/10/2011 :

Yesterday's extremely well patronised AusPharm poll (n=291) produced a result very different to that delivered by delegates to last weekend's PAC conference.

84% of respondents to the AusPharm poll told us they believe there is an oversupply of pharmacists in Australia at present. This is in contrast to the 34% result in a similar poll run after the PAC 'Great Debate' on Sunday.

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Pharmacy Student Counselling competition a PAC11 highlight : 11/10/2011 :

A highlight of PAC each year is the Pharmacy Student Counselling competition - this year was no exception with 8 final year pharmacy students vying for the prize.

This year’s wildcard entry, Ezekiel (Zeke) Steindl, is the 2011 winner and also won the added honour of picking up the audience choice award for the event.

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Entries open for Pharmacy of the Year 2012 : 10/10/2011 :

Entries are now open for the 2012 Pharmacy of the Year awards, which reward excellence in the industry. Integral to delivering excellence in community pharmacy is the Quality Care Pharmacy Program (QCPP), which is the sponsor of the 2012 awards. 

The awards recognise excellence in pharmacy across three categories:

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PSA on board with collaboration in health reform agenda : 10/10/2011 :

The PSA sees itself as a step ahead of the government with the collaborative care element of its healthcare reform agenda, particularly in relation to primary and preventive care.

This collaboration involves partnerships not just with other healthcare professionals, but with consumer and industry groups. Such partnerships are an essential underpinning to offering a greater clinical role in professional services.

According to PSA President, Grant Kardachi, speaking at PAC2011, “part of this changing role is the need for pharmacists to emerge from behind the dispensary and out into the broader healthcare world – a world where we work closely with other healthcare professionals and other healthcare organisations to improve health outcomes by better utilising our skills, training and experience."

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RGH E‑Bulletin: Update on pharmacological therapies for heart failure : 10/10/2011 :

The topic of this week's RGH E‑Bulletin is Update on pharmacological therapies for heart failure.

"Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a complex clinical syndrome associated with a high mortality rate & health care costs especially amongst the elderly. ‘Guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of people with CHF in Australia,’ published in 2006 describes evidence based recommendations for the treatment of CHF. This E-bulletin summarises recent updates to these guidelines, with a focus on pharmacological"

Click here to read the bulletin in full. The E‑Bulletins are archived on the AusPharmList website here.

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Pharmacist oversupply or not? : 10/10/2011 :

'Too many pharmacists spoil the broth’ was the topic of this year's 'Great Debate' at PAC.

Arguing the case 'for' (that there is a pharmacist oversupply) were 2010 Young Pharmacist of the Year Vivienne Mak, Victorian community pharmacist and former PSA Board member Dimitra Tsucalas and Qld pharmacist and PDL Board member Gilbert Yeates.

The 'against' case (that there isn't a pharmacist oversupply) was presented by Curtin University Head of School and former PSA Pharmacist of the Year Jeff Hughes, Queensland community pharmacist and 2010 Pharmacist of the Year Karalyn Huxhagen and Pharmacy Support Officer at the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health Mick Nunan.

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New Medicines Safety Update published : 07/10/2011 :

The October 2011 issue of Medicines Safety Update (the old 'ADRAC' Bulletin) has been published on the TGA website.

It was included as part of the October issue of Australian Prescriber. but can also be downloaded as a stand alone document (here).

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PSS launches development and expansion fund : 07/10/2011 :

During PAC11, being held in Melbourne this weekend, the Pharmacists’ Support Service (PSS) will be launching a campaign to raise money for expansion and development of its service so that it can provide support to all Australian pharmacists. 

Currently the service only has adequate funds to service Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.  However, with adequate funding, PSS would like to formally extend its services to all Australian pharmacists.  At present when calls are received from other states, the PSS volunteers do their best to help callers, but the level of assistance is limited due to a lack of local knowledge, networks and resources. 

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Pharmacists meeting their CPD commitments : 07/10/2011 :

The Pharmacy Board's CPD year has just ended and the Pharmacy Board will be asking pharmacists to prove they've done their CE for the year ending September 2011.

This week's poll asked 'listers to tell us how they's go if selected by the Board for a random audit of compliance with its CPD Guidelines.

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NPS, consumers welcome cancellation of Gold Cross / Blackmores deal : 07/10/2011 :

Following the announcement by the Pharmacy Guild and Blackmores on Wednesday night that they had agreed to cancel the Gold Cross endorsement of the Blackmores Companions range of complementary medicines a number of pharmacy and other health related organisations yesterday put out statements in response.

NPS said it welcomed the decision by Blackmores and the Pharmacy Guild to cancel the Gold Cross endorsement of the Blackmores Companions range of complementary medicines. NPS called on pharmacists last week to continue to tailor advice to individual patients based on their need and the evidence available.

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