Perth PAC - where were you? : 17/11/2008 :

Thanks to those 'listers who've already returned the Perth PAC questionnaires. Just a reminder to those who haven't that there's still time to do so. Read on.....

Perth recently hosted the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia's major educational event of the year - the 14th annual Pharmacy Australia Congress (PAC). The theme for this conference was "inspiration innovation motivation" with many keynote speakers not usually on the pharmacy conference circuit, thus giving it a uniquely local flavour.
 
It's sometimes thought that Perth is too far away from the eastern states to hold a national conference, yet sandgropers are expected to make the pilgrimage over to the east with regularity. What may surprise many, however, is the fact that less than 10% of the delegates in Perth were WA locals, which begs the question, "why?”.

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RGH E-Bulletin: Neurological uses of botulinum toxin A : 17/11/2008 :

The topic of this week's RGH E-Bulletin is Neurological uses of botulinum toxin A.

"The detailed pharmacology of botulinum toxin A have been discussed in a previous E-Bulletin (Vol 30 (4): May 26,
2008. Briefly, botulinum toxin A inhibits acetylcholine exocytosis. If no acetylcholine is available to stimulate receptors n muscle fibre, chemical denervation and muscle paralysis ensue. Botulinum toxin (especially type A) has found pplications in the management of symptoms associated with various neurological disorders."

Click here to read the bulletin in full.

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

Generics tool kit products available to order : 17/11/2008 :

Pharmacists wanting to purchase more prescription intake forms, ancillary labels or repeat folders that were sent out as part of the National Prescribing Service (NPS) generic medicines campaign tool kit are now able to do so.

The products, developed by the NPS in partnership with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), are part of the Generics are an equal choice campaign and were sent to all community pharmacies throughout Australia in October.

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Future Vision for Health: Minister Roxon addresses Guild Dinner : 14/11/2008 :

Health Minister Nicola Roxon MHR, addressing the Pharmacy Guild Annual Dinner in Canberra on Wednesday night, described the Rudd Government's commitment to take big steps where needed to reform healthcare, developing innovative solutions to meet healthcare challenges across the short, medium and long term, and outlined their intent to take the time "to consult, to consider and to get it right".

Minister Roxon, whose parents are pharmacists, noted the severe national shortage of GPs increased the imperative for people to develop trusting relationships with their local pharmacist. She envisages the Government's focus on front-line community care and preventative medicine should allow pharmacists to "more fully utilise your extensive training, knowledge and skills".

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Guild announces Mirixa roadshow : 14/11/2008 :

The Pharmacy Guild announced yesterday that a series of seminars would be held around Australia early in 2009 to prepare the ground for the national launch of Mirixa Australia at the APP conference in April.

Mirixa is an online software platform which will enable systemised implementation of medication related care programs. The first is an adherence/compliance program targeted at chronic therapy patients to assist them to better adhere to their medicines regimen.

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PBS script numbers down : 14/11/2008 :

At the end of this financial year pharmacists will have dispensed around 60 million fewer prescriptions than the Guild and the Government signed off on when the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement was signed in November 2005.

By the end of the Fourth Agreement in June 2010, the Guild predicts there will have been at least 100 million fewer prescriptions than originally forecast in the Agreement.

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Poll result: will pharmacists soon be an important and essential part of the healthcare team? : 14/11/2008 :

This week's poll picked up on Young Pharmacist of the Year, Luke Bereznicki's, recent comments that to realise his vision for pharmacy, pharmacists need to be "considered without reservation as an important and essential part of the healthcare team." We asked 'listers to vote on how close they think the the profession is to this.

The response to our poll (n=158) suggests that many think there is still some work to do, with 27% saying that 'big change is needed" and another 27% saying that 'quite a bit needs to change'. On the other hand, a third of respondents (34%) think that the general direction of current efforts is 'mostly right with some change in direction required'. 9% think that things are pretty much on track but that 'some change in focus is required'.

So, if change is required, what is the nature of the change and what action is required to bring it about? Click the link below to see a detailed view of the poll results.

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MIMs provides medication images for PMP program : 13/11/2008 :

MIMS Australia has compiled a database of tablet and capsule images for the top 250 PBS-listed medicines and has made them available, free of charge, to healthcare professionals and participants in The Patient Medication Program (PMP). The PMP program is currently in phase 1 of a trial in over 2000 pharmacies around Australia. 

Software providers who are supplying the profiles within their software need to have all images for medicines in the top 250 PBS items.

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One in three type 1 patients manipulating insulin for weight control : 13/11/2008 :

On the eve of the tomorrow's 2008 World Diabetes Day, Australian healthcare professionals are being called on by Diabetes Australia to recognise the high rates of insulin manipulation in people with type 1 diabetes and the possible links to mental health, following the release of new research which shows one in three (32.9 per cent) people with type 1 diabetes regularly skip their insulin injections in a bid to lose weight.

Developed by Diabetes Australia - Vic and the Centre for Adolescent Health, the report titled ‘Insulin Misuse for Weight Loss’, highlights that almost half (48.5 per cent) of those who skip their insulin intake, do so daily, with a further one in four (28.5 per cent) doing so on a weekly basis. 

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ASMI appoints new Regulatory & Technical Manager for Complementary Medicines : 12/11/2008 :

The Australian Self-Medication Industry (ASMI) yesterday announced the appointment of Ms Ruth Kendon as its new Regulatory & Technical Manager for Complementary Medicines.

Ms Kendon is a practising naturopath and herbalist based in Sydney. She has degrees in Naturopathy and Botanical Medicine and has spent 24 years in private practice. She has also taught clinical nutrition and served on the Board of Directors of the National Herbalists’ Association of Australia.

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Tassie graduates step out : 12/11/2008 :

At a cocktail reception held in Hobart last week this year's Tasmanian pharmacy graduates were presented with certificates signaling the successful completion of their Pharmacy Board pre-registration examination.

This annual event provides an opportunity for the profession to acknowledge and congratulate graduates on their achievements to date. It is an event looked forward to on the Tasmanian pharmacy calendar and this year's event was well attended by local pharmacy luminaries.

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MIMS October Prescribing Update : 11/11/2008 :

The MIMS November 2008 prescribing update is now available.

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Mentor Program Launched : 11/11/2008 :

The Australian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) is launching a Mentoring program at its Brisbane Careers Symposium on November 17th as a complimentary benefit to its members.

The program is designed for those with qualifications and experience or interest in the pharmacological or toxicological sciences and will be of particular interest to students, new investigators and those looking for a change in direction, according to program convenor, Dr Lynette Fernandes.

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ABC Learning collapse will have no impact on pharmacy : 11/11/2008 :

Some 'listers would be aware that Guild Insurance provides insurance cover for ABC Learning. As many would also be insured with Guild, they may be wondering what impact ABC's demise will have on Guild and on pharmacy generally. 

The short answer, according to Guild Insurance, is minimal impact on Guild - and no impact on pharmacy or your insurance.

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RGH E-Bulletin: Choice of antiplatelet agent for secondary prevention of stroke : 10/11/2008 :

The topic of this week's RGH E-Bulletin is Choice of antiplatelet agent for secondary prevention of stroke.

"The risk of recurrent stroke is as high as 43% over 10 years. Antiplatelet therapy is an accepted strategy for reduction in this risk. The common choices are aspirin, aspirin plus extended release Dipyridamole (ASA-ESDP), and clopidogrel. When selecting an antiplatelet there should be consideration of co-morbidities (especially acute coronary disease), tolerance, and recurrence of stroke while on an antiplatelet."

Click here to read the bulletin in full.

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

Big Boost for Rural and Indigenous Pharmacy Students : 10/11/2008 :

Know someone from a rural area who is currently enrolled in a full-time B.Pharm or M.Pharm degree? Or maybe a rural high school student who wants to study Pharmacy? Make sure they know about The Rural and Remote Pharmacy Workforce Development Program Scholarships - they may be eligible for a scholarship of up to $40,000 to assist them whilst they study!

The Rural and Remote Pharmacy Workforce Development Program recognises the key role that pharmacists play in maintaining the health of all Australians and aims to ensure the continued viability of rural pharmacies. In 2009, thirty scholarships of $10,000 per annum will be offered to encourage and enable students from rural communities to embark on fulfilling and rewarding careers in pharmacy. A further three scholarships of $15,000 per annum will be available to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students. The scholarships are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and managed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

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Pharmacist Only Somac in pharmacies this month : 07/11/2008 :

The first proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to be introduced as a Pharmacist Only Medicine in Australia – Somac Heartburn Relief (Pantoprazole 20mg) – will be available in pharmacies this month.

A comprehensive educational kit (including the exact definition of heartburn or reflux, a treatment algorithm, referral pads and condition assessment checklist) has also been developed by manufacturer Nycomed for the launch of Somac Heartburn Relief to ensure pharmacists are aware of 'when to treat' or 'when to refer'. The heartburn treatment algorithm has outlined atypical symptoms ("red-flags") to ensure immediate referral to GPs when this is appropriate.

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Poll result: PBS online yeah.... : 07/11/2008 :

This week's poll asked lister's how they found the day to day operation of PBS Online now that it has been part of pharmacy life for a couple of years now.

The results show that, in the main, people (n=90) are happy with it and it is minimally intrusive. And this is without asking owners what they think about the greatly improved cash flow that was part and parcel of its introduction!

It would be interesting to know whether there is any common theme for the 13% who reported that PBSOL does go down regularly and does cause some grief.

Click the link to see a breakdown of the results.

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Tassie pharmacy wins national award : 07/11/2008 :

Westside Pharmacy, in Ulverstone on Tasmania's north-west coast, has been awarded the top prize in the pharmacy/natural health store category in the 2008 Australian Small Business Champion awards.

Pharmacy owner Judy Liauw accepted the award at a presentation ceremony in Sydney last weekend.

Judy, pictured at right at the recent Pharmacy Australia Congress, is President of the Tasmanian branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, a Guild National Councilor and the immediate past Chair of the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy.

How to bring a new complementary medicine to market in Australia : 05/11/2008 :

Last week in Sydney the Complementary Healthcare Council held an Advertising Compliance Seminar, designed to assist sponsors of complementary medicines to comply with the various rules and regulations that apply to the advertising of these products.

A presentation from Robert Forbes (a regulatory affairs consultant) gave a fascinating case study on how to bring a new herbal product to the Australian market.

His brief was to create a new product based on Rhodiola rosea (recently approved by the TGA's Complementary Medicines Evaluation Committee [CMEC]) with the marketing proposition, "Turbo Charge; Instant energy for middle aged active people". 

To differentiate it from other Rhodiola products he suggested adding CoQ10 which would allow "increased stamina and endurance over time" to be added to the marketing claim.

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