Health Awareness
Rare Disease Day
It’s that time of year again when we celebrate Rare Disease Day on the last day of February. It’s a cause close to our hearts at VIVA! Communications after we’ve had the pleasure of working on a number of campaigns to raise awareness of a variety of rare diseases. Despite their name, one in 20…
Read MoreThe implications of the OTC up-scheduling of codeine-containing medicines for Australians
Less than 24 hours since low-dose OTC codeine-containing medicines have been restricted to prescription only (Schedule 4), pharmacy is already raising concerns over potential consumer backlash. Fairfax reports an estimated 153,000 Australians use low-dose codeine-containing medicines at rates indicative of dependence, which the government has also dubbed as alarmingly high. By enforcing the up-scheduling of low-dose…
Read MoreNew blood test detects Alzheimer’s disease years earlier
Dementia has now taken the place of cancer as the second leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease. A team of scientists in Australia and Japan have developed the world’s first accurate blood test for detecting Alzheimer’s disease, which can identify the presence of the disease up to 20 years before symptoms begin.…
Read MoreFunding promised to save more lives of people living with rare cancers
Future generations who may be diagnosed with rare cancers have been offered hope this week with the promise of a $26m investment package into new research. The money will be spent on 19 clinical trials, with the aim to reverse tragically low survival rates through the creation of new and more effective treatments. The research…
Read MoreHealthcare Megatrends to watch in 2018
Megatrends are fundamentally changing the way the world works. The three forces driving massive global healthcare trends include: unparalleled advances in technology; the sedentary lifestyles that goes hand in hand with economic development, globalisation and urbanisation; and the demographics of our aging population. The world is aging, and as a result there has been massive…
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