1. NMS-Early bird registration closing soon
Register by Friday, 20 April to receive discounts on full, student/unwaged, single day or group registration.
Attracting people from right across the health sector, NMS is a unique opportunity to network, and share expertise, ideas and innovations about quality use of medicines and other health technologies.
Check out our 30 second video here to learn more about why you should attend:
Attending as an exhibitor
Exhibit at NMS 2018 and gain access to Australia’s key influencers in the medicines and health technologies industries.
Build brand awareness, connect with key audiences, and strengthen your profile and relationships. Partnerships start at $500 and range from advertising to sponsorship.
About the event
NMS 2018 will be held from 30 May – 1 June 2018 at the National Convention Centre in Canberra.
The symposium will present the latest and most thought-provoking content on quality use of medicines and other health technologies in Australia.
The 2018 Choosing Wisely Australia National Meeting will be held as a satellite meeting to the National Medicines Symposium.
We look forward to seeing you at NMS.
Where do I go to learn more?
For all exhibitor enquiries please contact Juliet Pisani-Forde on (02) 8217 8249 or jpisaniforde@nps.org.au
For all other enquiries please contact the symposium secretariat at nms2018@expertevents.com.au
To learn more about NMS and view the program visit nps.org.au/nms2018
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2. April Edition of Australian Prescriber
ARTICLE
The cost of asthma medicines
Out-of-pocket costs are a major factor contributing to poor adherence to asthma treatment. How can GPs help their patients save on costs?
Find out more
Penicillins and cephalosporins can cause similar allergic reactions. Find out why labelling an individual with a ‘cephalosporin allergy’ is inaccurate.
Learn more
ARTICLE
Antihistamines and allergy
There is now little role for sedating antihistamines in allergic conditions. Discover why they should be avoided.
See more
More in this issue:
Electronic medication management: is it a silver bullet?
Safer dispensing labels for prescription medicines
Pharmacovigilance and expedited drug approvals
Anaphylaxis: emergency management for health professionals
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3. Rheumatoid arthritis: early diagnosis and treatment improve patient outcomes
NPS MedicineWise – in collaboration with the Australian Rheumatology Association and Arthritis Australia – has developed an education program for health professionals aiming to improve the quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The evidence-based program reinforces that early investigation and diagnosis leading to early treatment of the condition can alter the course of the disease, improve physical function, delay or prevent irreversible joint damage and increase the chance of clinical remission in patients.
Dr Andrew Boyden, medical advisor with NPS MedicineWise says, “Early diagnosis of RA and initiation of treatment is vital. This program supports GPs to recognise clinical features that suggest RA may be present – and assists them with how they approach diagnostic testing. Early referral to a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and allow the timely initiation of treatment is also encouraged.
“There is a small ‘window of opportunity’, possibly as short as three months from disease onset during which therapy has the most impact,” Dr Boyden adds.
While evidence-based guidelines continue to support the role of methotrexate as the gold standard treatment for RA, patient adherence may be compromised by common myths and misconceptions about methotrexate.
Dr Andrew Boyden explains, “Consumer information commonly refers to cautions and potential toxicity concerns that apply to methotrexate when it is used in high doses as chemotherapy. These are not relevant to the much lower doses used to treat RA. It is likely this information has influenced the development of myths and misconceptions about its use in the treatment of RA.”
Collaboration and communication between the patient and all their healthcare providers, including pharmacists, can contribute to an integrated management plan. Providing consistent messaging about appropriate medicines, strategies for pain management and lifestyle modification help to support adherence and optimise outcomes.
Health professionals are encouraged to follow the link below to sign up for the NPS MedicineWise webinar Rheumatoid arthritis: getting the facts straight about methotrexate.
The free webinar, to be hosted on 12 April, 7:00–8:00 pm AEST, was co-designed with the Australian Rheumatology Association and will feature an interdisciplinary discussion about why early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improved health outcomes in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Panel members are Dr Mona Marabani, Dr David Liew, Associate Professor Morton Rawlin and Jarrod McMaugh.