Clinical
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby rounds up the latest in research news Facilitators of and Barriers to Deprescribing Diabetes Medications in Older Adults Facilitators for deprescribing diabetes medications in older adults include patients’ …
Concerns flagged over excess folic acid intake in pregnancy
Rise in gestational diabetes linked to high folate levels in mothers-to-be, study warns There is an urgent need to establish a safe upper limit for folic acid consumption during pregnancy, …
‘Concerning’: Low levels of contraception alongside GLP-1 use
Off-label use of GLP-1s among women of reproductive age has skyrocketed since 2020, with researchers concerned about its potential impact on unintended pregnancies Community pharmacists have an opportunity to counsel …
Pharmacists’ personal beliefs can hinder ECP access: study
“Personal views” on adolescent sexual activity and contraceptive use should not interfere with the delivery of care, says expert Community pharmacies are often seen as an accessible setting for adolescents …
‘Determined to ensure everything is the best it can be’
Novel working group of hospital pharmacists with a passion for medication guidelines finds success with <1% incident reports related to high-risk IV use A pharmacy team-based approach has consistently produced …
Inconsistencies, ambiguities may lead to errors: study
Less than 15% of paediatric medicine labels met Australian standards on dosing instructions, new study finds The study, led by researchers from the University of Auckland’s School of Pharmacy, analysed …
Patients benefitting from immediate access to triptans
The downscheduling of triptans in 2021 led to a drop in prescription-only dispensings, but the biggest savings are seen in general patients, say experts General patients with intermittent migraine were …
New indication for Ozempic
Blockbuster drug receives TGA approval for CKD indication, as wholesaler supply restrictions are lifted The TGA has approved glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) drug Ozempic (semaglutide 1.0mg) for a label …
‘High risk, high stakes’: Errors involving children
Pharmacists share shocking case studies, with one seeing up to 1000-times dose errors for clonidine while another witnessed a child develop opioid dependency Leading pharmacists are warning the profession to …
Caution urged over patients taking multiple supplements
Patients are often unaware of additional vitamins in products that do not include them in their name, experts warn Health professionals are sounding the alarm over supplements containing vitamin B6, …
Filling the gap
New deprescribing guidelines cover top 100 most dispensed PBS medicines for older people, developed by expert team from UWA A blockbuster team of medicines experts and consumer representatives have developed …
Woman exposed to 27-fold RDI of vitamin B6
Many pharmacy supplements contain levels of vitamin B6 far exceeding RDI per tablet, warns doctor who shared case studies of patients that experienced toxicity Multiple pharmacy vitamins and supplements contain …