Editorial
Welcome to the April 2009 edition of the HealthInsite e-newsletter, and a special welcome to any new subscribers!
In this edition, we'll consider guidelines published recently by the National Health and Medical Research Council that recommend that Australians imbibe no more than two standard drinks a day if they want to reduce their risk of being harmed by an alcohol-related injury or disease.
Older women with osteoporosis, children with tyrosinemia, and people with Restless Legs Syndrome will benefit from the new medicines subsidised by the Australian Government under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The Remote Area Health Core was established late last year to encourage doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals based in Australian cities and towns to provide primary health services in remote Indigenous communities.
As you may be aware, there's been a recent outbreak of swine flu overseas with Mexico City the apparent epicentre. We'll provide you with important links and a hotline number to stay abreast of developments.
And finally, we welcome a new Information Partner into the fold: Whiplash, which is managed by the Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine.
News Items
New NHMRC guidelines on alcohol consumption
All Australians who enjoy drinking alcohol can reduce their cancer risk by adhering to new National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines and limiting their daily intake to no more than two standard drinks.
Cancer Council Australia's CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said that the new guidelines halved the amount recommended as safe for men in the previous guidelines
"More than 2,800 Australians are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers each year, and around 1,400 of them die as a result," Professor Olver said.
The new NHMRC guidelines and some Frequently Asked Questions are available through the NHMRC website. The Cancer Council Australia has a position statement on Alcohol and Cancer.
New drugs subsidised under the PBS
Older women with osteoporosis, children with tyrosinemia, and people with Restless Legs Syndrome will benefit from the new medicines subsidised by the Australian Government under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
HealthInsite has a topic page on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Users can also search HealthInsite for Consumer Medicines Information on specific drugs by typing the name of the drug into the Quick Search box, and then following the result on the Search Results Summary page to Consumer Medicines Leaflets.
Remote Area Health Core
The Remote Area Health Core (RAHC) was established to strengthen primary health care services in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. By working in close collaboration with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, and the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families, the RAHC aims to facilitate a significant contribution to the improvement of Indigenous health by engaging doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals on short-term assignments.
Those of our subscribers to this newsletter that are health professionals are encouraged to check out the RAHC website and to imagine making a real difference!
Swine Flu Outbreak
On ANZAC Day, the World Health Organization determined the swine flu outbreak to be a formal "public health emergency of international concern" with knowledge lacking with regards to "the clinical features, epidemiology, and virology of reported cases and the appropriate responses. Government health agencies around the world have expressed concerns about the outbreak and are monitoring developments closely.
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing Government has established a new national hotline for Australians to access health information about the outbreak: 1 802 007.
Border surveillance measures at airports have also been strengthened in response to the potential spread of this new strain of influenza virus.
In addition, the Government will be updating travel advice and this can be accessed through www.smarttraveller.gov.au. The Department of Health and Ageing's own website (www.health.gov.au) will also be updated regularly to reflect any significant developments, as will its Health Alerts website. .
Health Insite has an Influenza topic page that has links to different types of influenza and available vaccines, and a Health Warning topic page that provides links to information about disease outbreaks.
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We have received a number of recent enquiries regarding whooping cough, coinciding with some media coverage regarding its ill effects.
HealthInsite has a topic page on Whooping Cough.
If there is an issue that you would like to see covered in a future newsletter, please send an e-mail to the HealthInsite team at: healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au
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