DigiPharma 2014 – What Does Digital Excellence Look Like?

VIVA! Communications teamed with Princeton Digital to host the third annual Digital Pharma seminar series, entitled ‘What Does Digital Excellence Look Like?’ in Sydney on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Chaired by Gavin Walsh, General Manager, Princeton Digital, the full-day seminar, which will also be taking place in Melbourne on April 3, 2014, provided Australian pharmaceutical…

Improving care for people living with rare diseases – World Rare Disease Day 2014

Today marks the 7th annual World Rare Disease Day in which Australia has participated for the past five years. Today experts are meeting to highlight the issues of rare disease and the implications for those living with or affected by these diseases. The main objective of Rare Disease Day is to raise awareness about the…

Food poisoning – More common than you think

With the tragic news announcement this week that Aussies, Noelene Bischoff, 54 and her 14-year-old daughter, Yvana died from a combination of food-poisoning and pre-existing medical conditions. That got us thinking about the prevalence and risks associated with food, preparation and food-poisoning. According to statistics from the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand, the…

Dinky di, true-blue Aussie!

With less than a month to go to the 2014 GLOBALHealthPR AGM, we thought it might be wise to share some tips and trivia on our island home. Aussie Trivia: January 26 marks Australia Day – a day when our nation celebrates all that’s Australian. Marking the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First…

The science of happiness

As we near the end of another week and start preparing for the long weekend, we’ve begun noticing a certain spring in people’s step. Just that little bit of ‘bonus happiness’ as we all approach what, we’re sure, is a very well deserved break. According to Martin Seligman, ‘the pioneer of happiology,’ there are three…

Queensland launches pharmacy immunisation trial

In an Australian-first research trial announced earlier this week, the Queensland (QLD) branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has joined forces with the QLD branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA) to trial a pharmacist immunisation research pilot program in QLD. Collaborating with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and James Cook…

Happy New Year!

After celebrating the Christmas period with family and friends, Team VIVA! hasn’t wasted any time getting back into the swing of things for 2014. Having spent the holidays soaking up vitamin D, our batteries are now positively recharged in preparation for tackling this year. A new year brings new energy and the opportunity to start…

The disheartening state of our nation’s health

When reflecting on our nation, one tends to recall the poem I love a sunburnt country, penned by Australian author, Dorothea Mackellar in 1904. In her poem Mackeller describes our majestic, sun-drenched country as “a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.” She paints an idealised portrait of Australia…

Five Minutes with pioneer travel health expert, Dr Deb Mills

Dr Deb Mills or “Dr Deb” as she is affectionately known by her patients, is a leading Australian travel doctor and author of ‘Travelling Well’ – the must-have guide to enjoying good health while travelling. The local pioneer of travel medicine, who began working in the field in 1988, runs a travel clinic in Brisbane…

World Cup dengue fever risk

Those travelling to the World Cup in Brazil next year are at potential risk of contracting a mosquito-borne virus, according to commentary published in the renowned scientific journal, Nature. A world-leading infectious diseases expert is strongly urging Brazil to minimise the number of dengue-transmitting mosquitoes during the World Cup by implementing aggressive vector control in…