The 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…

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New 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.…

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Healthcare 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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