Meningococcal disease is an acute bacterial infection that can affect the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), or the blood (septicaemia); whilst some patients can have a combination of both. Learning objectives After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to: ...

Immediate patient access to antibiotics through pharmacies has been recognised as a factor in addressing antibiotic misuse in the community, as antimicrobial resistance increases. A study conducted across 90 rural and metropolitan Western Australian community pharmacies has examined the abilities...

From June, pharmacists across metro and regional Victoria will have access to free training sessions to help their patients quit smoking. ‘Pharmacists are highly respected in the community and could play an even bigger role in helping smokers to quit,’...

A once-daily, single inhaler triple therapy for  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is set to be listed on the PBS from 1 July. The triple-therapy inhaler Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium and vilanterol) is indicated for long-term maintenance treatment...

Drug dependence, including opioid dependence, involves a complex interplay of social, psychological and biological factors. Learning objectives After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to: Describe characteristics of opioid dependence in a person Discuss the role of opioid replacement...

Calculating doses is one of the many challenges faced when using medicines in children. To complicate matters, some medicines need to be given 'off-label' when there is limited information to support a product's licensing application for paediatric use. Learning objectives After...

Tenecteplase may replace alteplase as the thrombolytic of choice when treating ischemic stroke, according to an Australian study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. A comparison of the two thrombolytics found that tenecteplase doubled the chances of blood-flow...

Community pharmacists could more frequently give patients a choice between the two emergency contraception drugs available in Australia. The mystery shopper exercise conducted by University of Sydney researchers found that emergency contraception drug levonorgestrel (LNG) was provided 74% of the...

HPV vaccine protects against cervical precancer in female adolescents and does not increase the risk of serious adverse effects. This is the finding of Cochrane reviewers who have undertaken the largest review of the HPV vaccine to date. The review included...

Topical corticosteroids are used for various dermatological conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Learning objectives After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to: Describe common misconceptions and misunderstandings of topical corticosteroids Identify current evidence and recommendations on the safety...