Opioid use drops among younger people
HEROIN and other opioids appear to be losing their appeal among younger people, with a dramatic fall in treatment levels for addicts under 30 years.
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Doctors top Australia’s most trusted
PROMINENT doctors have topped the list of Australia’s most trusted people with the profession as a whole ranked sixth most trusted for 2013.
Uniform e-software urgent as practices ‘bamboozled’
THE AMA has repeated its call for a single personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) software product, amid concerns practices are being “bamboozled” with information from vendors ahead of the last deadline to qualify for incentive payments.
Fetal DNA a complementary Down’s test
CELL-FREE fetal DNA testing to screen for Down syndrome has a lower false positive rate than existing screening, new data shows, but experts say it will complement rather than replace combined screening.
Australian Nursing Federation collective bargaining rejected by Fair Work Commission
AN APPLICATION by the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) for a low paid bargaining authorisation for practice nurses has been rejected by the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
GP hit by ski lift wins damages case
A GP who was hit in the groin by a ski lift at one of Australia’s best known resorts is set to receive compensation, after a judge ruled the lift operator was negligent and breached its duty of care.
Antibiotics in food need more scrutiny
THE use of antibiotics in food production should be further regulated to tackle the growing worldwide problem of superbugs.
Vax scare: TV station busted
A REGIONAL television station has been found guilty of misleading the public, after it quoted the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) making unsubstantiated claims about measles inoculation being linked to autism.
MI reduction in Alzheimer’s
CHOLINESTERASE inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease may reduce risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and death, a Swedish study suggests.
Low uptake of chlamydia screening
FEW obstetrics and gynaecology specialists are screening young pregnant women for chlamydia as recommended by Australian guidelines, new data shows.
Patients to get new tool to choose doctor: survival rates
AUSTRALIAN surgeons will “inevitably” have their individual patient survival rates published, with GPs to follow, after the UK government announced plans to do just that, a medico-legal expert has warned.
‘Shared care’ approach no solution to child obesity
A ‘SHARED care’ approach to managing childhood obesity, in which hospital-based specialists and GPs together treat patients, has proved ineffective, a clinical trial has found.
GPs given Queen’s Birthday honours
THE contribution of general practice to rural communities has been recognised with six GPs receiving Queen’s Birthday honours.
Turf war: AMLA and SBOs
A TURF war looms between state-based organisations (SBOs) and the Australian Medicare Local Alliance (AMLA) as SBOs claim the national body plans to put just one staffer in each state without agreeing how the two bodies can work together.
Homebirth safety data prompts call to expand
NEONATAL death rates in publicly funded homebirth programs in Australia are low, new data shows, but experts are divided on whether funding for these programs should be increased.
Chronic pain linked to heavy alcohol use in elderly men
ONE in five Australian men aged 70 years or older drinks heavily or to excess, with chronic pain being a predictor for daily alcohol consumption, a study shows.
OSA may increase risk of sudden cardiac death
PEOPLE with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may have double the risk of sudden cardiac death, Mayo Clinic researchers warn.
Heart-healthy diet improves survival in prostate cancer
MEN with prostate cancer who follow a ‘heart-healthy’ diet – replacing animal fat with vegetable oils and nuts – have improved survival, according to findings from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
Postprandial walk may improve blood glucose levels
SEDENTARY older people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes might benefit from a regimen of short moderate-intensity walks after meals, research suggests.
Safe prescribing in pregnancy needs more evidence
NOW more than ever, data is needed on drug effects and optimum dosages in pregnant women, experts say.