Hosted by a rotating group of interviewers including our CEO and pharmacist, Adj A/Prof Steve Morris, and GP and NPS MedicineWise medical adviser Dr. Anna Samecki, we’ll wade through the reams of information – and sometimes misinformation – to provide answers from trusted sources for all of your quality use of medicines questions.
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In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West speaks with Dr Richard O’Regan, an addiction medicine consultant with the Royal Perth Bentley Group about opioid addiction and how to have those very useful, but sometimes very difficult, conversations with patients.
Further reading
NPS MedicineWise: https://www.nps.org.au/news/high-risk-opioid-use-10-things-you-need-to-know
Choosing Wisely: https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/resources/consumers-and-carers/patient-guide-to-managing-pain-and-opioid-medicine
In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West interviews Debra Letica and Ricky Spencer talk about how about Choosing Wisely and the 5 questions are resulting in empowering conversations between Health Professionals and patients and more appropriate care.
Further reading
Choosing Wisely: https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/
Choosing Wisely: https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/resources/consumers-and-carers/5questions
Choosing Wisely translated resources: https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/translated-resources
In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West talks to our other medical adviser Dr Kate Annear about the cumulative effects of anticholinergic medicines. Not always front of mind, these medicines can cause many problematic side effects and can lead to poor health outcomes including increased risk of falls and cognitive decline. We cover what these medicines are and what can be done. Reviewing people’s multiple medicines and considering deprescribing or finding alternative treatments can reduce ‘anticholinergic burden’.
Further reading
NPS MedicineWise: https://www.nps.org.au/professionals/anticholinergic-burden
Choosing Wisely: https://www.choosingwisely.org.au/
Australian Prescriber article: Optimising oral health in frail older people: https://www.nps.org.au/australian-prescriber/articles/optimising-oral-health-in-frail-older-people
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In this episode, NPS MedicineWise medical advisor Dr Caroline West interviews Professor Julie Leask to discuss the COVID 19 vaccination and it’s availability to children over the age of 12. They discuss the hesitancy some parents have toward the vaccines and how to address the questions parents have. |
In this episode, NPS MedicineWise educational visitor and pharmacist Kara Joyce interviews NPS MedicineWise medical advisor and GP Dr Anna Samecki to discuss the recent TGA alert around varenicline (marketed as Champix) and the implications for practice.
Further reading
In this episode NPS MedicineWise CEO Adj A/Prof Steve Morris is joined by Professor Andrew McLachlan, Head of School and Dean of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney, to discuss how the COVID pandemic has sparked a growing interest among consumers in medicines and treatments.
They discuss the vital role health professionals play in communicating harms and benefits with consumers.
They also consider why clinicians should take an interest in the upcoming review of the National Medicines Policy, and Steve bids farewell ahead of stepping down as NPS MedicineWise CEO at the end of July.
Further reading
In this episode about health literacy, NPS MedicineWise CEO Adj A/Prof Steve Morris is joined by health consumer advocate Debra Letica and CEO of the Consumers Health Forum, Leanne Wells.
New survey findings have shown that one in five consumers rarely or never felt comfortable asking their doctor, pharmacist or nurse when they needed more information. Steve, Debra and Leanne discuss how health literacy is a fundamental pathway to good healthcare, practical ways health professionals can help consumers feel more in control of their own health care, and why it’s so important to include consumers in shaping health care messages.
Further reading:
In this second special edition of the NPS MedicineWise podcast about upcoming scheduling changes to nicotine vaping products, medical adviser and GP Dr Jill Thistlethwaite talks with Adjunct Professor John Skerritt from the Health Products Regulation Group (HPRG), including the Therapeutic Goods Administration at the Australian Government Department of Health and Professor Nick Zwar, Executive Dean of the Health Sciences and Medicine Faculty at Bond University and Chair of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Expert Advisory Group on smoking cessation clinical practice guidelines.
They provide a brief recap on the new prescribing process for nicotine vaping products that is coming into effect from 1 October 2021 and what GPs need to know about these changes. They also discuss the new standard for prescribing nicotine vaping products and the upcoming RACGP smoking cessation guideline update.
This podcast was developed with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.
Further reading
NPS MedicineWise podcast Episode 28: Nicotine scheduling changes – Special episode #1: https://www.nps.org.au/podcast/episode-28-nicotine-scheduling-changes-special-episode-1
TGA: Nicotine e-cigarettes hub (for health professionals):
www.tga.gov.au/nicotine-e-cigarettes
TGA: Standard for unregistered nicotine vaping products:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2021L00595
TGA: Nicotine vaping products and vaping devices – Draft guidance for Therapeutic Goods Order 110 (TGO 110) and related matters:
https://www.tga.gov.au/resource/nicotine-vaping-products-and-vaping-devices
TGA: Nicotine e-cigarettes laws are changing (blog for consumers):
www.tga.gov.au/blogs/tga-topics/nicotine-e-cigarettes-laws-are-changing
NPS MedicineWise news article, access pathways flowchart and links to further information:
www.nps.org.au/professionals/prescribing-nicotine
RACGP Guidelines: Supporting smoking cessation:
In this special edition of the NPS MedicineWise podcast about upcoming scheduling changes to nicotine vaping products, CEO Adj A/Prof Steve Morris talks with Adjunct Prof John Skerritt and Ms Jenny Francis from the Health Products Regulation Group (HPRG), including the Therapeutic Goods Administration at the Australian Government Department of Health. They discuss the new prescribing process for nicotine vaping products that is coming into effect from 1 October 2021, why the regulation is being changed, which products are being affected, and what prescribers need to do to prepare for this change.
This podcast was developed with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.
Further reading
NPS MedicineWise news article, access pathways flowchart and links to further information:
www.nps.org.au/professionals/prescribing-nicotine
TGA: Nicotine e-cigarettes hub (for health professionals):
www.tga.gov.au/nicotine-e-cigarettes
TGA: Nicotine e-cigarettes laws are changing (blog for consumers):
www.tga.gov.au/blogs/tga-topics/nicotine-e-cigarettes-laws-are-changing
RACGP Guidelines: Supporting smoking cessation:
