Australians at FIP 2008 : 08/09/2008 :

A number of Australian pharmacists presented at FIP 2008 over the last week.

These included (click the presentation title to access the presentation slides):

* Simon Bell: Community Pharmacy Business or Healthcare: An Australian Perspective
* Andy Gilbert: Setting appropriate national standards of competence: Pharmacy workforce and education
* Alison Roberts: Change management in community pharmacy - Introductory lecture
* Charlie Benrimoj: From capacity building to implementation - The role of universities, national professional organisations and international organisations
* Lisa Nissen: Pharmacists Influences on the Prescribing of Medicines

This week's PHARMeFOOTY celebrity tips : 05/09/2008 :

Welcome to the last PHARMeFOOTY celebrity tips for 2008. This week we only have NRL tips, of course, as the AFL home and away season finished last week with the finals series to begin this weekend.

We have two guest tipsters this week, Ken Sternes, who's really shown some skill at this in recent weeks and Irwin the evil chemist, filling in for Medici Capital's Frank Sirianni.

Irwin says:

"This week, I have tipped the aquatic species to prevail over land based mammals. Except for the Bronchos and Tigers unless they were wearing aqualungs. And Storm: that just doesn't make sense. Much like my tipping over the years."

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

Health Corporation notches up $1.87 million loss : 05/09/2008 :

In a statement lodged with the stock exchange last week Health Corporation, parent company of the Health Information Pharmacy (HIP) group, announced a $1.87million loss for the year ended June 30, 2008.

According to Health Corporation Chairman, Graham Dunkley, a company restructure, the departure of some non compliant pharmacies and continued expansion of the HIP group will see the company soon transition into profitability.

Mr Dunkley said that shareholder patience and support 'will be rewarded in due course'.

NAB off-loads 12.5 million Sigma shares : 05/09/2008 :

Last week we reported that SIGMA had been asked by the stock exchange (ASX) if they knew why their share price had spiked in recent weeks. It replied that, while it was aware that Hedge Funds 'were positioning for a break up of the drug maker and wholesaler', it was not aware of any reason for the share price spike.

While AusPharm also does not know what factors might be influencing the SIGMA share price, yesterday NAB (and associates) lodged a notice with the stock exchange (ASX) to report that it hold sold approximately $18 million worth of shares in SIGMA.

A quick look at the ASX website (here) reveals that the SIGMA share price continues to rise.

Poll result: locum pharmacists, are there enough of 'em? : 05/09/2008 :

This week's poll asked 'listers what the availability of locums was like in their area.

The result, shown below, seems to suggest to us that, despite the supposed pending glut of pharmacists,  things still ain't rosy in all areas.

Perhaps this result reflects the demographics of 'list members, who tend more to the rural than is the norm (we think - If only we'd asked for post codes when we got you all to register!).

Correction: André Bédat Award : 04/09/2008 :

In yesterday's (e)news we incorrectly awarded Margaret Bickle, pictured at right, the 2006 André Bédat Award. This was a slip of the finger as we knew, and are sure you did too, that Mrs Bickle won the award in 1996.

We expect you also knew that Australians have won this award three of the 11 times it has been awarded since its inception in 1986. As well as Margaret Bickle in 1996, Australian pharmacy legends Alan Russel (1992) and John Bell (2004) have also won the award.

Coles ordered to sell Pharmacy Direct : 04/09/2008 :

The NSW Supreme Court has ordered a Coles Group company (Now.com.au) to sell its shares in Pharmacy Direct to a pharmacist, pharmacist partnership or pharmacist body corporate, having previously deemed its ownership to be illegal.

The court order, agreed to by Now.com.au, follows declarations made by the Court in May (see our stories at the time - here and here). The May outcome, however, is still the subject of an appeal and this week's divestiture order has been stayed pending the outcome of that appeal.

Poll: locum pharmacists, are there enough of 'em? : 03/09/2008 :

The conventional wisdom 10 years ago was that there was a shortage of pharmacists, including locums, in Australia. However, in recent times, AusPharm has the sense that this perceived shortage has eased, in part no doubt because of the huge increase in graduate numbers in the last few year.

What's it like in your area? Are there enough locum pharmacists to cover days off,  holidays and emergencies? Please let us know by participating in this week's AusPharm poll below.

National electronic prescribing still online with new Fred Health initiative : 03/09/2008 :

Fred Health announced yesterday that it is launching a new initiative called eRx Script Exchange to develop national electronic prescribing.

In partnership with Simpl (New Zealand) and Microsoft Australia, the new initiative will create a secure, encrypted gateway for pharmacies and doctors to exchange prescriptions electronically.

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

VCP graduate claims major award at FIP : 03/09/2008 :

During the FIP 2008 opening ceremony in Basel, Switzerland, Victorian College of Pharmacy graduate Dr Jennifer Dressman was presented with the 2008 FIP Distinguished Science award. The award is presented biennially in even years to an individual or group who has made outstanding contribution to the pharmaceutical sciences.

Dr Dressman graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Victorian College of Pharmacy in Melbourne, Australia in 1976 and is still a registered pharmacist in Victoria. She has greatly contributed to the pharmaceutical community as a pharmacist, lecturer, professor, scientist, author and editor. You can read the full FIP award citation here.

US pharmacist wins 2008 André Bédat Award : 03/09/2008 :

US pharmacist Dr Albert I. Wertheimer has been awarded the 2008 André Bédat Award. This award is the premier award presented biennially by FIP to a pharmacist who has made an outstanding contribution to international pharmacy.

In addition to a holding a myriad of research and academic posts, Dr Wertheimer practiced as both a community and hospital pharmacist throughout his career, owning his own community pharmacy in Minneapolis, USA for nearly 20 years. He has been the recipient of countless accolades for his work and was a Council Member and President of the FIP Academic Section from 1984-1990 and Council Member and Vice President of FIP from 1990-1998.

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

Klacid® Liquid now on PBS : 02/09/2008 :

From 1 September 2008, the liquid form of clarithromycin will be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of pertussis or ‘whooping cough’, and for atypical Mycobacterium infections.

More info is available at the Federal Department of Health and Ageing website here.

Sydney Uni pharmacy students win National Student Business Plan Competition : 02/09/2008 :

A team of University of Sydney pharmacy students has won the National Student Business Plan Competition, an Australia-wide challenge that gives entrants real-life experience in setting up a small pharmacy business. The Sydney Uni students beat teams from the University of Queensland and Griffith University in Sunday’s final at the Pharmacy Women’s Congress in Melbourne.

The University of Sydney team, comprising captain Daniel Rifkin and team members Jane Xie, Anjana Rao, Daniel Galanos, Lisa Kouladjian and Eva Ling, were praised for an innovative proposal that focused on environmentally friendly business practices. The team and university will share $6000 in prize money and have their names engraved on the competition’s perpetual trophy.

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

Project STOP praised for privacy protection : 01/09/2008 :

Project STOP was recently named a finalist in the inaugural Australian Privacy Awards. The winners were announced at a ceremony held in Sydney on Wednesday 27 August with STOP just missing out on the prize in the Community and NGO Award category.

“The Guild is very proud of Project STOP’s privacy record. Even after over 1.5 million transactions have been processed through the program, there has yet to be a single complaint about privacy or the way in which pharmacists, as administrators, have handled personal information,” National President of the Guild Kos Sclavos said.

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

The penultimate PHARMeFOOTY weekly wrap : 01/09/2008 :

The final AFL Round, # 22, saw 3 tipsters select all 8 winners.  The closest to the margin was Nam Nguyen from Peter Green Pharmacy so Nam becomes our last weekly prize winner for 2010. Well done to Nam and all our weekly winners for this season of PHARMeFOOTY. In 2nd place was Sue Proctor of Burden Chem Elizabeth with Chris Hick from University of Sydney in 3rd spot.

NRL Round 25 saw 3 tipsters select all 8 winners correctly. Beth McLean from Terry White Chemists -Tweed Centro had the best margin and is the weekly winner, congratulations Beth. In 2nd place was Nerida Croker from Rose Bay North Pharmacy with Andy Aitken of Cooloola Pharmacy in 3rd spot.

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

SIGMA says 'We know nothing' : 29/08/2008 :

'Listers with SIGMA shares may have noticed that its share price has jumped considerably in the last week or so. This prompted the stock exchange (ASX) to enquire of SIGMA whether it knew of any reason for this.

The SIGMA response was that it was not aware of any reason for the share price spike. It made mention of the speculation in Tuesday's Financial Review that Hedge Funds 'were positioning for a break up of the drug maker and wholesaler' and commented that it 'is not currently considering a break up of the company'.

You can read the ASX letter to SIGMA and its response to the ASX here. 

Poll result: How do you send your scripts to Medicare? : 29/08/2008 :

This week's AusPharm online poll followed up on Damien Louttit's recent post which asked: "I have been sending my claim prescriptions to Medicare via Australia Post just as a "Regular Parcel" and realise this could be risky if it gets lost. What do you do?"

The results of the poll are shown below. Clearly, most pharmacies favour secure delivery. AusPharm wonders what the one 'dissenter' does. Carrier pigeon?

Senate knocks back PBS cost recovery legislation : 29/08/2008 :

Opposition senators and independent senator Steve Fielding yesterday voted down the government's National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical and Other Benefits—Cost Recovery) Bill 2008 which would have imposed significant PBS listing fees on pharma companies seeking to list new PBS drugs.

Medicines Australia, who represent big pharma in Australia, issues a statement in response saying "the pharmaceutical industry believes there has not been adequate consultation on the PBS Cost-Recovery proposal.  At the very least today’s outcome should ensure appropriate and comprehensive consultation on issues fundamental to the sustainability of the PBS.”

Promotion overdo$e? : 28/08/2008 :

Consumer advocate CHOICE yesterday released a report, Promotion overdo$e, which found that most GPs have far more contact with drug reps than with the National Prescribing Service's medical educators. Only one third of doctors surveyed said they'd seen an NPS medical educator. By contrast the report said that 65% of GPs surveyed saw more than five drug reps a month, with 34% receiving more than 10 visits.

CHOICE says that the government needs to invest more money in independent medical education so that GPs are able to receive regular updates on new drugs from sources free from industry influence.

There are links to mainstream media stories about the CHOICE report in todays' AusPharm 'In the news' section here and you can read the report in full here at the CHOICE website. 

August Cochrane News now available : 27/08/2008 :

The August 2008 Cochrane News is now available from the Cochrane Collaboration website.

It contains information about new Cochrane entities, updates about diagnostic test reviews and the activities of other Review Groups and Cochrane Centres. You can download the newsletter here.

NB: Please note the links here have been updated - those posted initially were incorrect.

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