Does montelukast need a warning label? The asthma medication is known to cause behavioural and neuropsychiatric disturbance that in rare cases have been linked to suicidal ideation.
Concerns flagged for ‘alarming’ teen weight loss trend Research prompts calls for GPs to help regulate use of non-prescribed weight-loss products among teens displaying ‘risk-taking behaviour’.
Perinatal depression leads to increased risk of death: Study A review of one million people has linked perinatal depression to an increased risk of taking one’s own life, even decades after giving birth.
New COVID variant ‘taking off like a rocket’ Despite states and territories reporting large case increases, many Australians have not received booster vaccinations to protect against JN.1.
Research provides hope for type 1 diabetes ‘cure’ Further trials are needed, but the use of rare cancer drugs to assist in restoring insulin production is showing promise.
Pill testing calls follow multiple overdoses at Melbourne festival The Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Addiction Medicine has said such a move would be ‘a no-brainer’.
Make breast density reporting mandatory: RANZCR The radiologist body is calling for an expansion of mammogram services, and a GP expert agrees it will help patients make more informed choices.
Tighten Paxlovid eligibility: PBAC advice The committee that looks at PBS listings has recommended the first-line COVID-19 treatment be limited to the highest risk patients aged 50–69 years.
Algorithms could help reduce avoidable antibiotic prescribing A digital tool has led overseas doctors to slash prescription numbers by 46%, but there are doubts about its application in Australia.
Palliative care bodies sound the alarm on opioid supply crisis A growing list of opioid medications are being discontinued in Australia, with morphine liquid supplies near depletion.