addiction
Opioid prescription meds among most over-prescribed: RACP
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is calling for greater awareness of the over-prescribing of opioid prescription medication for pain. RACP President, Laureate Professor Nick Talley, says opioids are now …
Doctors demand action on alcohol harms
Ahead of Federal Parliament resuming next week, the AMA is calling on the Government to renew its focus on addressing the many ways that the misuse of alcohol is causing …
Clinical tips: counselling the codeine-seeking patient
Treating patients with chronic pain can be a complex, long-term relationship, especially if codeine is involved, writes Karalyn Huxhagen. Like all community pharmacists, I kick myself when I fall for …
Clinical tips: treating addiction explained
Helping treat and manage addiction through pharmacotherapy is part of a complex process, write Dr Esther Lau and Professor Lisa Nissen, from the School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of …
What do codeine shoppers really need?
There has been a lot of discussion by pharmacists in recent times about surveillance of codeine shoppers, writes 2010 PSA Pharmacist of the Year Karalyn Huxhagen. Codeine seeking behaviour is …
ASMI welcomes Vic real-time monitoring
The Australian Self Medication Industry today welcomed the Victorian Government’s commitment of $300,000 for planning and development of a real-time prescription monitoring system to help reduce the inappropriate use of …
Consumers need codeine access
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has welcomed comments made by the Federal Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, acknowledging and supporting the skills of pharmacists to effectively and safely manage the …
Alcohol, drug treatment patients ageing: AIHW
The age profile of people accessing publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies is changing, with the proportion of clients aged over 40 increasing, according to statistics released today …
Pharmacotherapy growth slowing, cohort ageing
Growth in the number of people receiving pharmacotherapy treatment for opioid dependence has slowed, according to new information published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The release shows …
Call for opioid maintenance therapy copay on PBS
Ensuring Opioid Maintenance Therapy is affordable for patients is an important strategy in helping stem prescription opioid and heroin addiction, a new report has found – but the current copayment …
Codeine to go script-only?
The TGA is seeking comments on several proposed amendments to the Poisons Standard, including that the Schedule 3 entry for codeine be deleted. It is proposed that the current Schedule …
Aussies rife with Big Three risk factors
 The National Heart Foundation says the release of the Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease—Australian facts: risk factors report is another wake up call for the Federal Government to …