Welcome to the latest issue of Community Update, provided by NPS – Better choices, Better health. Community Update helps keep you informed about issues around medicines use as they relate to individuals and the community.

In this issue

• Bilingual resources
• New flyer outlines what you need to know
• R U OK? Day 2010
• SBS partnership
• Asthma management project
• Independent reviews of new type 2 diabetes medicines
• Relaxed attitude towards medicines leading to greater health problems

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Bilingual resources

As part of our work with culturally and linguistically diverse audiences we are making our existing resources available in languages other than English.

We currently have resources available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Arabic, Macedonian and Croatian.

Later this year the following in-language resources will also be available:

Product	New translation
Medimate brochure	Croatian Macedonian Korean
Medicines List	Spanish Croatian
Community presentation pack	Spanish Macedonian Korean

Medimate brochures help people understand and use information about medicines. It includes questions people should ask their doctor or pharmacist about their medicines to help them be actively involved in their health management.

Medicines List helps you keep an up-to-date record of all your medicines. Its handy size allows you to carry your Medicines List in your bag or pocket.

All of our translated resources are available to download or order for free.

Community presentation packs contain information to assist health professionals to run workshops on set topics, such as sleep and ageing, and the safe and wise use of medicines. To order a presentation pack or for more information contact Carrie Sutherland.

New flyer outlines what you need to know

Keeping track of what you need to know and discuss about your medicines can be a challenge, so we have developed a new flyer to remind you what’s important and how to learn about it. Order the Be MedicineWise flyer for free. For more information, please contact Liane Johnson.

R U OK? Day 2010

On 7 October Australians will come together to prevent suicide by participating in R U OK? Day. The day aims to inspire Australians to connect with their friends, loved ones and colleagues by reaching out to anyone doing it tough and simply asking: 'Are you OK?'

This year’s message is that in the time it takes to have a coffee you could start a conversation that could change a life.

NPS is once again a supporting partner of the day and activities will be run by various supporting partners in each state.

The theme of R U OK? At Work enables businesses to address critical workplace issues. In terms of lost productivity, stress and depression-related presenteeism (employees at work but not fully functioning) and absenteeism are directly costing employers $10.11 billion a year.

Resources will be sent from the R U OK? Day steering committee to GPs to raise awareness of the day and to ensure they have the information necessary to help anyone who may need it.

For more information about R U OK? Day including support material to start a conversation that could change a life please contact Katie Butt.

SBS partnership

To reach the many Australians who may not access medicines information through mainstream media, NPS has entered into a content partnership with SBS. Each month we provide information on a different health topic for in-language interviews on SBS’s 68 language programs.

Upcoming topics include: complementary/natural medicines, depression, managing pain, storing and travelling with medicines, cholesterol-lowering medicines and anaemia.

We are always looking for bilingual health professionals to be interviewed in-language. To participate please contact us.

Asthma management project

NPS and the University of Sydney have partnered on a project to improve asthma management and outcomes for patients with asthma. The Collaboration in Asthma Management in the Community (CAMCOM) project involves GPs, practice nurses and pharmacists from in and around Sydney and patient volunteers who currently use asthma preventer medicines.

The study aims to determine which of three different training methods leads to the best patient outcomes.

Results of the study are expected mid 2011 and will help inform asthma care practice.

Read more about improving asthma device use.

Independent reviews of new type 2 diabetes medicines

People with type 2 diabetes can find independent reviews of two new blood glucose lowering medicines in the latest issues of Medicine Update.

The reviews of sitagliptin (Januvia) and vildagliptin (Galvus) outline who the medicines are suitable for, how they work and ways in which they differ from existing medicines for type 2 diabetes. Both articles also discuss possible side effects of these and other medicines for diabetes.

Karen Kaye, acting CEO of NPS, says anyone with type 2 diabetes who is considering one of these new medicines should read the Medicine Update before having a discussion with their doctor.

‘The medicines you take for your diabetes may change over time. For example, you might only need a single tablet to control your blood glucose initially, but diabetes tends to get worse as you get older. At some point your doctor may recommend that you take more than one type of tablet, or that you take insulin, or a combination of tablets and insulin. Each medicine will work in a different way to control your blood glucose level’, Ms Kaye said.

Both sitagliptin (Januvia) and vildagliptin (Galvus) are relatively new medicines available in tablet form. They can be used by people with type 2 diabetes whose blood glucose cannot be controlled effectively with certain other medicines. Neither medicine is designed to be taken on its own – you will need to continue taking your other diabetes medicine too.

Although both medicines have been through the required clinical trials and have been shown to lower blood glucose, they are quite new so it is not yet known if they can reduce the long term complications of diabetes.

‘Before starting any new medicine talk to your doctor and pharmacist about how they work, potential side effects and whether it is definitely the best medicine for you. Educate yourself about your medicine options so you can have a well-informed discussion with your health professionals and be an active partner in your own health care’, Ms Kaye said.

Read the full reviews on sitagliptin (Januvia) and vildagliptin (Galvus) in Medicine Update.

Relaxed attitude towards medicines leading to greater health problems

Australians’ blasé attitude towards medicines is leading to further health problems for many people and is placing avoidable pressure on our health system.

An article published in the Medical Journal of Australia has detailed serious health effects in patients who misused pain killers containing ibuprofen and codeine, and notes more than half a million Australians use combination pain relief products for non-medical purposes.

Because of its opioid effects, codeine can cause dependence with long term use, and this may lead people to increase their dose. When people take combination products containing codeine in higher doses than recommended, they are also taking high doses of the other pain relief ingredients – paracetamol or ibuprofen. These ingredients, when misused, can cause serious problems such as stomach and liver damage.

Karen Kaye, acting CEO of NPS, says people need to start thinking more seriously about non-prescription medicines.

‘Australians are famous for our relaxed, “she’ll be right” attitude. But when it comes to medicines we need to pay more attention to what we’re taking and the potential effects they can have on our bodies.’

‘Just because a medicine can be purchased without a prescription doesn’t mean it’s risk-free’, Ms Kaye said.

The very serious side effects caused by overusing medicines containing paracetamol and ibuprofen are well known and documented. While new laws introduced in May 2010 mean people need to see a pharmacist before purchasing pain relief products containing codeine, the message stands for any non-prescription medicine, even some natural and herbal products.

‘As a society we have become blasé about non-prescription medicines and assume that anything designed to make us feel well will do just that. This is not always the case’, Ms Kaye said.

The best way of avoiding problems caused by inappropriate medicines use is to become MedicineWise.

‘Ask yourself if you really need to take a medicine, and whether it’s the best one for you. Know the active ingredients in the medicines you take. Learn the potential side effects and how to take the medicine properly. And if the medicine isn’t working, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about alternate options’, Ms Kaye said. 

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