Monthly Archives: August 2010

Yoga for global health?

August 31, 2010 – 7:41 pm

As mentioned previously, representatives of 340 non government organisations are attending a conference in Melbourne this week, with the Millennium Development Goals firmly on the agenda. Bhakti Johnson, National Coordinator for the Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life, is there, together with more than 2,000 other delegates. She has been hearing, and telling, some [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health | Tagged , | Comments (1)

If Banjo Paterson was here, what might he say to Gillard, Abbott and the rest?

August 31, 2010 – 6:41 pm

As mentioned in the previous post, we were well entertained at the National Rural Health Alliance’s dinner in Canberra last night. Amongst other fare, the Alliance’s executive director Gordon Gregory was channeling Banjo Paterson…. IN DEFENCE OF THE BUSH by The Doggreller – with apologies to Banjo Paterson, whose poem of the same title was [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in federal election 2010, rural and remote health | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Broadband is THE critical rural health issue, the independents are told

August 31, 2010 – 3:57 pm

The National Rural Health Alliance’s annual dinner in Canberra last night was pumping (please see bottom of the post for details of the revolutionary chanting that was going on). Just a few weeks ago, rural health barely rated as an election issue. Yesterday the three independents met with NRHA leaders for their advice on what [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in dental care, federal election 2010, general practice, Health inequalities, health reform, rural and remote health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (8)

From world poverty to the other extreme: “disease development”

August 31, 2010 – 1:52 pm

At an important conference in Melbourne this week, NGO workers from around the world are discussing both the progress and the lack of progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In 2000, world leaders committed to achieving these eight goals by 2015: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in child health, environmental health, global health, health & medical marketing, social determinants of health, WHO, women's health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (4)

From Sydney to Denmark on a bike, a challenge to Bill Gates, and transforming primary care

August 27, 2010 – 8:00 pm

Some recent public health news… A challenge to Bill Gates The University of Sydney’s Professor Simon Chapman has taken on two of the world’s richest men, arguing that it is inappropriate for Bill Gates to have joined in a health initiative with Mexico’s Carlos Slim Helú because of the latter’s work in the tobacco industry. [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in conflicts of interest, physical activity, primary health care, tobacco control | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

A diary about living with cancer: Jonty Este is back from surgery…

August 27, 2010 – 3:53 pm

Jonty Este is a 48-year-old journalist living in Sydney. He was born in the UK and has been in Australia since 1988, spending most of that time as a writer and editor with The Australian newspaper. He is director of communications with the Media Alliance, the journalists’ union, where he specialises in researching and writing [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in cancer | Tagged , , , | Comments (8)

Consumer group calls for action on systemic problems highlighted by flu vaccine safety debacle

August 27, 2010 – 11:05 am

The previous Croakey post raising concerns about the response of health authorities to adverse events associated with seasonal influenza vaccination of young children rang a bell with the Consumers Health Forum. The Forum’s executive director, Carol Bennett, has called for urgent action – by COAG, if necessary. The TGA’s mission statement of ‘safeguarding public health [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in adverse events, child health, consumer health information, influenza, TGA, vaccination, vaccines | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

An update on influenza, vaccination and other recent controversies

August 26, 2010 – 6:39 am

Herewith, a series of updates of recent news and views in the world of influenza, vaccination etc (including a rather stiff serve directed at the Federal Department of Health and Ageing…) Federal response to WA influenza vaccination review is sorely lacking As mentioned at Croakey previously, the WA Government recently released an important report reviewing [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in child health, influenza, Media-related issues, NHMRC, public health, quality and safety of health care, swine flu, TGA, vaccination, vaccines | Tagged , , , , | Comments (8)

Should nurses rather than doctors lead health systems of the future?

August 25, 2010 – 7:35 pm

Should nurses, rather than doctors, be leading the health systems of the future? The question is asked in this provocative article published by Lives, a partner publication of Scientific American that focuses on global health. It has generated something of an international stir, not to mention a deal of vitriol. Interestingly, not all of the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in global health, nurses and nursing, rural and remote health | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

Only a fool would believe our healthwashing spin. Coca-Cola in court

August 25, 2010 – 6:53 pm

The Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US is suing Coca-Cola on the grounds that the company’s vitaminwater products make unwarranted health claims. But what’s really gob-smacking is how the lawyers for Coca-Cola are defending the lawsuit. They argue that “no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Posted in Food, health & medical marketing | Tagged , , | Comments (1)