Editorial
Welcome to the first homepage edition of i2P for 2012.
In many ways it has been a slow start to the New Year because of having to deal with the “leftovers” from 2011.
One of those items for i2P was that a third-party provider to the site did not advise of a code change to the security section in our subscribe panel, creating a range of frustrated subscribers not able to get on board.
We apologise to all those potential subscribers who were unable to register with us in the second half of 2011, but if you try once more you should have no problem.
Columns
Rollo Manning: Pharma-Goss
Linda Bryant: Inside NZ
Loretta Marron BSc: Health Watch
Barry Urquhart: Marketing Focus
Mark Neuenschwander: I`ve been thinking about...Recent Comments
Past Editions
Volume 1 Number 1
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Volume 1 Number 4
Volume 1 Number 5
Volume 1 Number 6
Volume 1 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 1
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Volume 2 Number 3
Volume 2 Number 4
Volume 2 Number 5
Volume 2 Number 6
Volume 2 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 8
Volume 2 Number 9
Volume 2 Number 10
Volume 2 Number 11
Volume 3 Number 1
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Volume 3 Number 3
Volume 3 Number 4
Volume 3 Number 5
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Volume 3 Number 7
Volume 3 Number 8
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Volume 3 Number 11
Volume 2012 Number 1
Health Politics
Neil Johnston: Friends of Science in Medicine
Peter Sayers: Confessions of a Frustrated Pharmacist
James Ellerson: $75.5 million in 5CPA lying idle. Why is it so?EPublications
Major focus needed for Alzheimer's disease
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Editing and Researching news and stories about global and local Pharmacy Issues | |
When you stop to think about it, Alzheimer's Disease is talked about as being an epidemic but does not receive any focus in the area of preventive treatments.
The next step in dementia policy
It is a chronic mental health condition and while ageing is a risk factor, it should not be regarded as the inevitability of ageing.
Because of our rapidly ageing population, dementia patients are increasing in number and placing pressure on Aged Care facilities.
Dementia progressively robs a patient of their self-sufficiency and ultimately their total independence, and requires more support structures and funding than other lifestyle illnesses.
Can pharmacy make a contribution?
Certainly - but it requires community pharmacy to become more flexible and be able to develop a presence in a patient's home.
Maybe the PSA could develop a program that would attract government funding, to allow clinical pharmacist access and communication into a patient's home environment.
Preventive medicine is certainly within the province of a clinical pharmacist.
Now is the time to develop forward plans and cost estimates before existing resources are overwhelmed.
Pharmacy can help, but the existing model will not deliver satisfactorily.
That is not acceptable to pharmacists in general, but little can be done unless government is prepared to alter its funding and negotiating model.
The government needs to confront dementia in the same way it has tackled cancer and heart disease, according to Alzheimer’s Australia.
In its 2010 federal budget submission, the organisation outlines a $1 billion, five-year plan which includes extra funding for research and improved public awareness.
According to CEO, Glenn Rees, dementia is the “poor cousin” of other chronic diseases.
“I think the case is compelling,” he said. “If you accept that dementia is a chronic disease and not a natural part of ageing – which is what the clinicians and researchers tell us – then you have to ask why it is treated differently from cancer and heart disease.
“Why have we not adopted the same strategies which were adopted for them last century?”
A report commissioned by Alzheimer’s Australia last year predicted that there would be more than one million Australians living with dementia by 2050.
Mr Rees told the National Dementia Congress in Melbourne that Australia led the world with the introduction of the National Dementia Initiative in 2005.
But he said now it was time to take the next step in dementia policy by focusing on risk reduction, primary care initiatives and raising awareness.
“Australia has done reasonably well in caring for people with dementia in aged care programs but there is little ownership of dementia by the healthcare system,” Mr Rees said.
“When you look at primary care, research dollars and national prevention programs there is little or no mention of dementia.”
Earlier this month an Oxford University report found that the cost of dementia in the UK is higher than the combined cost of heart disease and cancer.
However the Dementia 2010 report said that research on dementia receives 12 times less support than cancer.
“The UK's dementia crisis is worse than we feared,” said the CEO of the UK’s Alzheimer’s Research Trust, Rebecca Wood.
“This report shows that dementia is the greatest medical challenge of the 21st century.”
Research Reports
Dr Andrew Byrne & Associates: Tranquillizer use rife amongst OTP subjects world-wide, most legally prescribedPractice Development
Neil Retallick: Are the discounters impacting community pharmacy beyond margin erosion? | open full screen
Kay Dunkley - BPharm, Grad Dip Hosp Pharm, Grad Dip Health Admin, MPS, MSHPA: Support services for pharmacists and doctors in the United Kingdom – Part 3 Royal Medical Benevolent Fund | open full screen
Staff Writer: Catch the early wave in 2012 and secure your valuable CPD Credits at the Guild Pharmacy Academy – NSW Convention | open full screen
Information Technology
Dr David More: Australian Health Information Technology LinksIndigenous Health
Preventive Medicine
Gerald Quigley: It’s Time!If any difficulty is found in subscribing, please use the "Contact Us" panel found in the navigation bar with the message "subscribe" and your email address.
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