15 Results

Below is an article that ran earlier this week in the Crikey bulletin raising concerns about the ongoing availability of two pain management medicines, and the processes that have enabled this. Carol Bennett, CEO of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, says the TGA has found the drugs, Di-Gesic and Doloxene, to be of questionable [...]

The Centre for Research in Critical Infection held a meeting recently at the University of Sydney, where the hazards of antibiotic resistance and barriers to infection control were key topics of discussion. Professor Lyn Gilbert, an infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist, described how public reporting of hospital infections is helping to focus health services [...]

As has been widely reported, the Food and Drug Administration recently sent CSL a warning letter raising concerns about its manufacturing processes and the company’s investigation into problems with its influenza vaccine for children, Fluvax (which has been marketed in the US as Afluria). The letter, dated 15 June, asked for CSL to respond within [...]

The issue of adverse events associated with vaccination has been in the news recently following the release of the Horvath report, An investigation into the management of adverse effects associated with influenza vaccination of children (with the Panvax and Fluvax products). Meanwhile, a rapid online publication by The Medical Journal of Australia has called for [...]

In the latest update of health and medical news from The Conversation… Reema Rattan and Fron Jackson-Webb write: Here’s a taste of what The Conversation’s health and medical experts have said over the past two weeks: A licensing scheme to make smokers butt out for good By Simon Chapman, Professor of Public Health at the University of [...]

Temperatures are rising in the stoush between federal and state health officials over who was to blame for an inadequate response when evidence began to emerge that young children in WA were suffering febrile convulsions after having the influenza vaccine Fluvax. As previously reported at Croakey, in August a report by a former WA chief [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

I’ve written an analysis of health election debate and policy, which has been published today at ABC’s The Drum. It draws upon some of the discussion that Croakey has been hosting in recent weeks. Thanks to all those who have been contributing. Also a particular thanks to Associate Professor Mavis Duncanson at Notre Dame University [...]

A Victorian Coroner’s investigation into the death of a young woman, Lauren James, after liposuction has been in the headlines recently. Kathryn Booth, principal of Maurice Blackburn (which represented Lauren James’ partner), and her colleague, lawyer Laura Vines, say the case has wider implications – for cosmetic surgery in particular, and quality and safety in [...]