td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28879 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 11:31:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-10 00:31:17 [post_content] => From guiding older patients on National Immunisation Program (NIP) stock to clarifying second-dose rules, here’s what pharmacists need to know about the 2025 influenza season.1. Patients aged 65 years and older should wait for NIP stock to arrive
By this time of the year, most pharmacies will have ordered and received private stock of influenza vaccines. But for the 2025 season, deliveries of NIP are expected to commence around late March, following the confirmation of pre-allocated orders by pharmacies. Older patients who present to the pharmacy requesting an influenza vaccine should be advised to wait until NIP stock arrives for optimum protection. Patients who are 65 years and over should receive the NIP-funded Fluad Quad 0.50 mL vaccine or Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccines designed to boost the immune system's response to the vaccine. These vaccines help to generate a stronger and more sustained antibody response, providing better protection against influenza and its complications in this vulnerable age cohort – reducing hospitalisations and severe outcomes from influenza.2. Patients (mostly) only need one dose of an influenza vaccine
If a patient received an influenza vaccine earlier on in the season and is concerned about waning immunity – one vaccine is still enough. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to justify routinely administering a second influenza vaccine dose within the same season. Optimal protection from the influenza vaccine persists for around 3–4 months after vaccination. While the vaccine’s effectiveness begins to wane after this point, most patients should be sufficiently protected throughout the season. However, there are some exceptions. Patients eligible for a second dose include:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28864 [post_author] => 9832 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 10:32:16 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 23:32:16 [post_content] => Family and friend carers are essential members of the care team who often provide invaluable medication management support to the people they care for. [caption id="attachment_28875" align="alignright" width="300"]This article was sponsored and developed in collaboration with PSA and Carers NSW[/caption] However, pharmacists may perceive medication errors or non-adherence as a carer’s inability to fulfil this role,1 instead of an opportunity for improving education and support. Ensuring that carers are identified by pharmacists as members of the patient’s care team, included in discussions about the patient’s care and supported to fulfil their role is key to ensuring quality use of medicines and optimal outcomes for patients and carers. Across Australia, there are approximately 3 million carers who provide unpaid care or support to a family member or friend living with disability, mental illness, chronic or life-limiting illness, drug or alcohol dependency or who is ageing or frail.2 This includes at least 391,300 children and young people under 25 years of age.2 A carer may be a parent, partner, sibling, relative, child, friend or neighbour of the person requiring care. Carers come from all walks of life, and anyone can become a carer at any time. Carers are diverse and each caring experience is different. Carers provide a wide range of supports to help the person they care for to remain living at home and in the community. They may also provide ongoing support for someone living temporarily or permanently in residential care. This support can include personal care, domestic assistance, support with navigating and coordinating health and disability services, emotional and social support, as well as assistance with communication, decision making and advocacy.3 Pharmacies are a common setting that carers visit with, or on behalf of, the person they care for. Carers may support with:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28858 [post_author] => 7616 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 09:21:35 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:21:35 [post_content] => Food can act as a prompt for medicine administration and be an easy way for patients to incorporate doses into their routines.Explaining to patients that they should take a medicine on an empty stomach or in a specific way away from food may not always be met with great enthusiasm! Confusion, and not fitting into a patient’s routine where possible, can lead to poor adherence and negative patient outcomes.
Why does food sometimes matter?
Food, or the absence of it, may significantly impact systemic exposure, safety, tolerability and effectiveness of a medicine, depending on its pharmacokinetics and adverse effects.
Take alendronate for example – the product information (PI) recommends taking it at least 30 minutes before the first food of the day as its bioavailability is negligible when taken with or up to 2 hours after a meal.1,2
Why do some PIs have a differing definition of an ‘empty stomach’?
This may stem from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance in America, where many medicines are first introduced to the market.
FDA guidance for medicine sponsors suggests that if a medicine needs to be taken in fasted conditions, studies using an overnight fast of at least 10 hours before medicine administration, and waiting at least 4 hours after the dose before eating, are optimal. However, this might not be practical for all medicines and patients. It is then up to the medicine’s sponsor to provide pharmacokinetic data to support pragmatic and realistic dosing instructions for patients to separate food and medicine administration. Sponsors can use modified fasting conditions with differing separation times, and must consider frequency of medicine dosing, the likely demographics of the patient, the condition being treated and any other relevant factors.3 These could vary significantly between different medicines!
Why does CAL 3b say something different to the PI?
The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF) considers that an empty stomach for the purposes of medicine absorption is ‘at least half an hour before food or two hours after food’, as reflected in the wording of Cautionary Advisory Label (CAL) 3b.4,5
This standardised approach is to ensure medicine instructions are simplified and practical for patients, and may differ from the medicine’s PI. Remember, CALs are intended to be used as an adjunct, not a replacement, to verbal counselling.5
Consider adherence and use professional judgement when providing advice on dose administration.
This may require weighing up optimal dose timing and adherence if a patient can’t easily accommodate the timing of doses, particularly when treating chronic conditions.4
References
[post_title] => What is an empty stomach? [post_excerpt] => Confusion around what's meant by an empty stomach can lead to poor adherence. Here's how clear instructions can make a world of difference. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => what-is-an-empty-stomach [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-10 09:24:03 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:24:03 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28858 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => What is an empty stomach? [title] => What is an empty stomach? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/what-is-an-empty-stomach/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28860 [authorType] => )
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Fosamax Plus Product Information. 2024. At: www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/136846
- Alendronate. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference; [updated 30 Oct 2024]. At: www.medicinescomplete.com/#/content/martindale/22524-r?hspl=alendronate#content%2Fmartindale%2F22524-r%2319721-a3-v
- US Food and Drug Administration. Assessing the effects of food on drugs in INDs and NDAs – clinical pharmacology considerations: guidance for industry. 2022. At: www.fda.gov/media/121313/download
- Grannell, L. When should I take my medicines? Aust Prescr 2019;42:86–9.
- Sansom LN, ed. Cautionary advisory labels Explanatory notes. Australian pharmaceutical formulary and handbook; [updated 2024 Jul 24]. At: https://apf.psa.org.au/dispensing-and-labelling/cautionary-advisory-labels/explanatory-notes
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28830 [post_author] => 8304 [post_date] => 2025-03-05 12:47:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-05 01:47:11 [post_content] => Rosuvastatin. Pantoprazole. Perindopril. Sertraline. These were some of the most commonly prescribed PBS drugs in 2024. But what else do they have in common? Tongue-twisters aside, they’re all examples of judiciously crafted drug names that have gone through countless rounds of testing by researchers, developers and brand marketing teams before making their way into Australian pharmacies. Pharmacists are trained to interpret the class of drugs from the last few letters of a generic name, particularly after Australia transitioned to active ingredient prescribing in 2021. But how do we get from sertraline to Zoloft, and what about the many forms of ethinylestradiol-based birth contraceptives (Yaz, Jolessa… Sronyx)? As it turns out, drug naming is more complex than it seems. Australian Pharmacist looks at the hard and fast rules governing drug monikers – all designed with patient safety in mind.Breaking down a drug name
Pharmacists are likely well aware of the multiple guises medications take – three in fact: their chemical name, generic name (or nonproprietary), and brand name. The chemical name follows rules set by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Once the drug is approved by the relevant regulator, it’s then assigned a generic and brand name. The generic name is based on the active ingredient and follows a standardised nomenclature, while the brand name is the trademarked name proposed by the manufacturer. It’s within these last two categories that drug developers have a bit of scope for creativity.The science behind generic names
Before paracetamol lands in the pharmacy aisle as Panadol, pharmaceutical companies must first propose a generic name for the medication. This name must be greenlit by two organisations: the national regulating body (i.e. in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Association), and on a global stage, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Nonproprietary Name (INN) Programme. Generic names follow an internationally recognised formula of prefix–infix–stem to maintain consistency regardless of where someone is located, and minimise the risk of prescribing errors. The:
Stem | Uses | Examples |
-cillin | Antibiotics (penicillin type) | Amoxicillin, ampicillin, |
-mab | Monoclonal antibodies used for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other conditions | Adalimumab, abciximab, trastuzumab |
-profen | Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen type) | Ibuprofen, flurbiprofen |
-vastatin | HMG-CoA inhibitors, lowers cholesterol | Atorvastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin |
-vir | Anti-viral drugs (to treat HIV, herpes, hepatitis) | Aciclovir, ritonavir |
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28792 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-03 12:30:37 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:30:37 [post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities. PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. ‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said. ‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’ Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District. With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship. David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact. A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report. Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships. Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award. [post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 15:19:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 04:19:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28792 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28806 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28879 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 11:31:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-10 00:31:17 [post_content] => From guiding older patients on National Immunisation Program (NIP) stock to clarifying second-dose rules, here’s what pharmacists need to know about the 2025 influenza season.1. Patients aged 65 years and older should wait for NIP stock to arrive
By this time of the year, most pharmacies will have ordered and received private stock of influenza vaccines. But for the 2025 season, deliveries of NIP are expected to commence around late March, following the confirmation of pre-allocated orders by pharmacies. Older patients who present to the pharmacy requesting an influenza vaccine should be advised to wait until NIP stock arrives for optimum protection. Patients who are 65 years and over should receive the NIP-funded Fluad Quad 0.50 mL vaccine or Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccines designed to boost the immune system's response to the vaccine. These vaccines help to generate a stronger and more sustained antibody response, providing better protection against influenza and its complications in this vulnerable age cohort – reducing hospitalisations and severe outcomes from influenza.2. Patients (mostly) only need one dose of an influenza vaccine
If a patient received an influenza vaccine earlier on in the season and is concerned about waning immunity – one vaccine is still enough. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to justify routinely administering a second influenza vaccine dose within the same season. Optimal protection from the influenza vaccine persists for around 3–4 months after vaccination. While the vaccine’s effectiveness begins to wane after this point, most patients should be sufficiently protected throughout the season. However, there are some exceptions. Patients eligible for a second dose include:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28864 [post_author] => 9832 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 10:32:16 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 23:32:16 [post_content] => Family and friend carers are essential members of the care team who often provide invaluable medication management support to the people they care for. [caption id="attachment_28875" align="alignright" width="300"]This article was sponsored and developed in collaboration with PSA and Carers NSW[/caption] However, pharmacists may perceive medication errors or non-adherence as a carer’s inability to fulfil this role,1 instead of an opportunity for improving education and support. Ensuring that carers are identified by pharmacists as members of the patient’s care team, included in discussions about the patient’s care and supported to fulfil their role is key to ensuring quality use of medicines and optimal outcomes for patients and carers. Across Australia, there are approximately 3 million carers who provide unpaid care or support to a family member or friend living with disability, mental illness, chronic or life-limiting illness, drug or alcohol dependency or who is ageing or frail.2 This includes at least 391,300 children and young people under 25 years of age.2 A carer may be a parent, partner, sibling, relative, child, friend or neighbour of the person requiring care. Carers come from all walks of life, and anyone can become a carer at any time. Carers are diverse and each caring experience is different. Carers provide a wide range of supports to help the person they care for to remain living at home and in the community. They may also provide ongoing support for someone living temporarily or permanently in residential care. This support can include personal care, domestic assistance, support with navigating and coordinating health and disability services, emotional and social support, as well as assistance with communication, decision making and advocacy.3 Pharmacies are a common setting that carers visit with, or on behalf of, the person they care for. Carers may support with:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28858 [post_author] => 7616 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 09:21:35 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:21:35 [post_content] => Food can act as a prompt for medicine administration and be an easy way for patients to incorporate doses into their routines.Explaining to patients that they should take a medicine on an empty stomach or in a specific way away from food may not always be met with great enthusiasm! Confusion, and not fitting into a patient’s routine where possible, can lead to poor adherence and negative patient outcomes.
Why does food sometimes matter?
Food, or the absence of it, may significantly impact systemic exposure, safety, tolerability and effectiveness of a medicine, depending on its pharmacokinetics and adverse effects.
Take alendronate for example – the product information (PI) recommends taking it at least 30 minutes before the first food of the day as its bioavailability is negligible when taken with or up to 2 hours after a meal.1,2
Why do some PIs have a differing definition of an ‘empty stomach’?
This may stem from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance in America, where many medicines are first introduced to the market.
FDA guidance for medicine sponsors suggests that if a medicine needs to be taken in fasted conditions, studies using an overnight fast of at least 10 hours before medicine administration, and waiting at least 4 hours after the dose before eating, are optimal. However, this might not be practical for all medicines and patients. It is then up to the medicine’s sponsor to provide pharmacokinetic data to support pragmatic and realistic dosing instructions for patients to separate food and medicine administration. Sponsors can use modified fasting conditions with differing separation times, and must consider frequency of medicine dosing, the likely demographics of the patient, the condition being treated and any other relevant factors.3 These could vary significantly between different medicines!
Why does CAL 3b say something different to the PI?
The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF) considers that an empty stomach for the purposes of medicine absorption is ‘at least half an hour before food or two hours after food’, as reflected in the wording of Cautionary Advisory Label (CAL) 3b.4,5
This standardised approach is to ensure medicine instructions are simplified and practical for patients, and may differ from the medicine’s PI. Remember, CALs are intended to be used as an adjunct, not a replacement, to verbal counselling.5
Consider adherence and use professional judgement when providing advice on dose administration.
This may require weighing up optimal dose timing and adherence if a patient can’t easily accommodate the timing of doses, particularly when treating chronic conditions.4
References
[post_title] => What is an empty stomach? [post_excerpt] => Confusion around what's meant by an empty stomach can lead to poor adherence. Here's how clear instructions can make a world of difference. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => what-is-an-empty-stomach [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-10 09:24:03 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:24:03 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28858 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => What is an empty stomach? [title] => What is an empty stomach? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/what-is-an-empty-stomach/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28860 [authorType] => )
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Fosamax Plus Product Information. 2024. At: www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/136846
- Alendronate. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference; [updated 30 Oct 2024]. At: www.medicinescomplete.com/#/content/martindale/22524-r?hspl=alendronate#content%2Fmartindale%2F22524-r%2319721-a3-v
- US Food and Drug Administration. Assessing the effects of food on drugs in INDs and NDAs – clinical pharmacology considerations: guidance for industry. 2022. At: www.fda.gov/media/121313/download
- Grannell, L. When should I take my medicines? Aust Prescr 2019;42:86–9.
- Sansom LN, ed. Cautionary advisory labels Explanatory notes. Australian pharmaceutical formulary and handbook; [updated 2024 Jul 24]. At: https://apf.psa.org.au/dispensing-and-labelling/cautionary-advisory-labels/explanatory-notes
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28830 [post_author] => 8304 [post_date] => 2025-03-05 12:47:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-05 01:47:11 [post_content] => Rosuvastatin. Pantoprazole. Perindopril. Sertraline. These were some of the most commonly prescribed PBS drugs in 2024. But what else do they have in common? Tongue-twisters aside, they’re all examples of judiciously crafted drug names that have gone through countless rounds of testing by researchers, developers and brand marketing teams before making their way into Australian pharmacies. Pharmacists are trained to interpret the class of drugs from the last few letters of a generic name, particularly after Australia transitioned to active ingredient prescribing in 2021. But how do we get from sertraline to Zoloft, and what about the many forms of ethinylestradiol-based birth contraceptives (Yaz, Jolessa… Sronyx)? As it turns out, drug naming is more complex than it seems. Australian Pharmacist looks at the hard and fast rules governing drug monikers – all designed with patient safety in mind.Breaking down a drug name
Pharmacists are likely well aware of the multiple guises medications take – three in fact: their chemical name, generic name (or nonproprietary), and brand name. The chemical name follows rules set by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Once the drug is approved by the relevant regulator, it’s then assigned a generic and brand name. The generic name is based on the active ingredient and follows a standardised nomenclature, while the brand name is the trademarked name proposed by the manufacturer. It’s within these last two categories that drug developers have a bit of scope for creativity.The science behind generic names
Before paracetamol lands in the pharmacy aisle as Panadol, pharmaceutical companies must first propose a generic name for the medication. This name must be greenlit by two organisations: the national regulating body (i.e. in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Association), and on a global stage, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Nonproprietary Name (INN) Programme. Generic names follow an internationally recognised formula of prefix–infix–stem to maintain consistency regardless of where someone is located, and minimise the risk of prescribing errors. The:
Stem | Uses | Examples |
-cillin | Antibiotics (penicillin type) | Amoxicillin, ampicillin, |
-mab | Monoclonal antibodies used for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other conditions | Adalimumab, abciximab, trastuzumab |
-profen | Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen type) | Ibuprofen, flurbiprofen |
-vastatin | HMG-CoA inhibitors, lowers cholesterol | Atorvastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin |
-vir | Anti-viral drugs (to treat HIV, herpes, hepatitis) | Aciclovir, ritonavir |
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28792 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-03 12:30:37 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:30:37 [post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities. PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. ‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said. ‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’ Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District. With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship. David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact. A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report. Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships. Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award. [post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 15:19:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 04:19:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28792 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28806 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28879 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 11:31:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-10 00:31:17 [post_content] => From guiding older patients on National Immunisation Program (NIP) stock to clarifying second-dose rules, here’s what pharmacists need to know about the 2025 influenza season.1. Patients aged 65 years and older should wait for NIP stock to arrive
By this time of the year, most pharmacies will have ordered and received private stock of influenza vaccines. But for the 2025 season, deliveries of NIP are expected to commence around late March, following the confirmation of pre-allocated orders by pharmacies. Older patients who present to the pharmacy requesting an influenza vaccine should be advised to wait until NIP stock arrives for optimum protection. Patients who are 65 years and over should receive the NIP-funded Fluad Quad 0.50 mL vaccine or Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccines designed to boost the immune system's response to the vaccine. These vaccines help to generate a stronger and more sustained antibody response, providing better protection against influenza and its complications in this vulnerable age cohort – reducing hospitalisations and severe outcomes from influenza.2. Patients (mostly) only need one dose of an influenza vaccine
If a patient received an influenza vaccine earlier on in the season and is concerned about waning immunity – one vaccine is still enough. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to justify routinely administering a second influenza vaccine dose within the same season. Optimal protection from the influenza vaccine persists for around 3–4 months after vaccination. While the vaccine’s effectiveness begins to wane after this point, most patients should be sufficiently protected throughout the season. However, there are some exceptions. Patients eligible for a second dose include:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28864 [post_author] => 9832 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 10:32:16 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 23:32:16 [post_content] => Family and friend carers are essential members of the care team who often provide invaluable medication management support to the people they care for. [caption id="attachment_28875" align="alignright" width="300"]This article was sponsored and developed in collaboration with PSA and Carers NSW[/caption] However, pharmacists may perceive medication errors or non-adherence as a carer’s inability to fulfil this role,1 instead of an opportunity for improving education and support. Ensuring that carers are identified by pharmacists as members of the patient’s care team, included in discussions about the patient’s care and supported to fulfil their role is key to ensuring quality use of medicines and optimal outcomes for patients and carers. Across Australia, there are approximately 3 million carers who provide unpaid care or support to a family member or friend living with disability, mental illness, chronic or life-limiting illness, drug or alcohol dependency or who is ageing or frail.2 This includes at least 391,300 children and young people under 25 years of age.2 A carer may be a parent, partner, sibling, relative, child, friend or neighbour of the person requiring care. Carers come from all walks of life, and anyone can become a carer at any time. Carers are diverse and each caring experience is different. Carers provide a wide range of supports to help the person they care for to remain living at home and in the community. They may also provide ongoing support for someone living temporarily or permanently in residential care. This support can include personal care, domestic assistance, support with navigating and coordinating health and disability services, emotional and social support, as well as assistance with communication, decision making and advocacy.3 Pharmacies are a common setting that carers visit with, or on behalf of, the person they care for. Carers may support with:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28858 [post_author] => 7616 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 09:21:35 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:21:35 [post_content] => Food can act as a prompt for medicine administration and be an easy way for patients to incorporate doses into their routines.Explaining to patients that they should take a medicine on an empty stomach or in a specific way away from food may not always be met with great enthusiasm! Confusion, and not fitting into a patient’s routine where possible, can lead to poor adherence and negative patient outcomes.
Why does food sometimes matter?
Food, or the absence of it, may significantly impact systemic exposure, safety, tolerability and effectiveness of a medicine, depending on its pharmacokinetics and adverse effects.
Take alendronate for example – the product information (PI) recommends taking it at least 30 minutes before the first food of the day as its bioavailability is negligible when taken with or up to 2 hours after a meal.1,2
Why do some PIs have a differing definition of an ‘empty stomach’?
This may stem from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance in America, where many medicines are first introduced to the market.
FDA guidance for medicine sponsors suggests that if a medicine needs to be taken in fasted conditions, studies using an overnight fast of at least 10 hours before medicine administration, and waiting at least 4 hours after the dose before eating, are optimal. However, this might not be practical for all medicines and patients. It is then up to the medicine’s sponsor to provide pharmacokinetic data to support pragmatic and realistic dosing instructions for patients to separate food and medicine administration. Sponsors can use modified fasting conditions with differing separation times, and must consider frequency of medicine dosing, the likely demographics of the patient, the condition being treated and any other relevant factors.3 These could vary significantly between different medicines!
Why does CAL 3b say something different to the PI?
The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF) considers that an empty stomach for the purposes of medicine absorption is ‘at least half an hour before food or two hours after food’, as reflected in the wording of Cautionary Advisory Label (CAL) 3b.4,5
This standardised approach is to ensure medicine instructions are simplified and practical for patients, and may differ from the medicine’s PI. Remember, CALs are intended to be used as an adjunct, not a replacement, to verbal counselling.5
Consider adherence and use professional judgement when providing advice on dose administration.
This may require weighing up optimal dose timing and adherence if a patient can’t easily accommodate the timing of doses, particularly when treating chronic conditions.4
References
[post_title] => What is an empty stomach? [post_excerpt] => Confusion around what's meant by an empty stomach can lead to poor adherence. Here's how clear instructions can make a world of difference. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => what-is-an-empty-stomach [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-10 09:24:03 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:24:03 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28858 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => What is an empty stomach? [title] => What is an empty stomach? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/what-is-an-empty-stomach/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28860 [authorType] => )
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Fosamax Plus Product Information. 2024. At: www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/136846
- Alendronate. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference; [updated 30 Oct 2024]. At: www.medicinescomplete.com/#/content/martindale/22524-r?hspl=alendronate#content%2Fmartindale%2F22524-r%2319721-a3-v
- US Food and Drug Administration. Assessing the effects of food on drugs in INDs and NDAs – clinical pharmacology considerations: guidance for industry. 2022. At: www.fda.gov/media/121313/download
- Grannell, L. When should I take my medicines? Aust Prescr 2019;42:86–9.
- Sansom LN, ed. Cautionary advisory labels Explanatory notes. Australian pharmaceutical formulary and handbook; [updated 2024 Jul 24]. At: https://apf.psa.org.au/dispensing-and-labelling/cautionary-advisory-labels/explanatory-notes
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28830 [post_author] => 8304 [post_date] => 2025-03-05 12:47:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-05 01:47:11 [post_content] => Rosuvastatin. Pantoprazole. Perindopril. Sertraline. These were some of the most commonly prescribed PBS drugs in 2024. But what else do they have in common? Tongue-twisters aside, they’re all examples of judiciously crafted drug names that have gone through countless rounds of testing by researchers, developers and brand marketing teams before making their way into Australian pharmacies. Pharmacists are trained to interpret the class of drugs from the last few letters of a generic name, particularly after Australia transitioned to active ingredient prescribing in 2021. But how do we get from sertraline to Zoloft, and what about the many forms of ethinylestradiol-based birth contraceptives (Yaz, Jolessa… Sronyx)? As it turns out, drug naming is more complex than it seems. Australian Pharmacist looks at the hard and fast rules governing drug monikers – all designed with patient safety in mind.Breaking down a drug name
Pharmacists are likely well aware of the multiple guises medications take – three in fact: their chemical name, generic name (or nonproprietary), and brand name. The chemical name follows rules set by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Once the drug is approved by the relevant regulator, it’s then assigned a generic and brand name. The generic name is based on the active ingredient and follows a standardised nomenclature, while the brand name is the trademarked name proposed by the manufacturer. It’s within these last two categories that drug developers have a bit of scope for creativity.The science behind generic names
Before paracetamol lands in the pharmacy aisle as Panadol, pharmaceutical companies must first propose a generic name for the medication. This name must be greenlit by two organisations: the national regulating body (i.e. in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Association), and on a global stage, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Nonproprietary Name (INN) Programme. Generic names follow an internationally recognised formula of prefix–infix–stem to maintain consistency regardless of where someone is located, and minimise the risk of prescribing errors. The:
Stem | Uses | Examples |
-cillin | Antibiotics (penicillin type) | Amoxicillin, ampicillin, |
-mab | Monoclonal antibodies used for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other conditions | Adalimumab, abciximab, trastuzumab |
-profen | Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen type) | Ibuprofen, flurbiprofen |
-vastatin | HMG-CoA inhibitors, lowers cholesterol | Atorvastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin |
-vir | Anti-viral drugs (to treat HIV, herpes, hepatitis) | Aciclovir, ritonavir |
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28792 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-03 12:30:37 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:30:37 [post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities. PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. ‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said. ‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’ Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District. With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship. David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact. A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report. Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships. Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award. [post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 15:19:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 04:19:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28792 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28806 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28879 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 11:31:17 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-10 00:31:17 [post_content] => From guiding older patients on National Immunisation Program (NIP) stock to clarifying second-dose rules, here’s what pharmacists need to know about the 2025 influenza season.1. Patients aged 65 years and older should wait for NIP stock to arrive
By this time of the year, most pharmacies will have ordered and received private stock of influenza vaccines. But for the 2025 season, deliveries of NIP are expected to commence around late March, following the confirmation of pre-allocated orders by pharmacies. Older patients who present to the pharmacy requesting an influenza vaccine should be advised to wait until NIP stock arrives for optimum protection. Patients who are 65 years and over should receive the NIP-funded Fluad Quad 0.50 mL vaccine or Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccines designed to boost the immune system's response to the vaccine. These vaccines help to generate a stronger and more sustained antibody response, providing better protection against influenza and its complications in this vulnerable age cohort – reducing hospitalisations and severe outcomes from influenza.2. Patients (mostly) only need one dose of an influenza vaccine
If a patient received an influenza vaccine earlier on in the season and is concerned about waning immunity – one vaccine is still enough. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to justify routinely administering a second influenza vaccine dose within the same season. Optimal protection from the influenza vaccine persists for around 3–4 months after vaccination. While the vaccine’s effectiveness begins to wane after this point, most patients should be sufficiently protected throughout the season. However, there are some exceptions. Patients eligible for a second dose include:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28864 [post_author] => 9832 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 10:32:16 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 23:32:16 [post_content] => Family and friend carers are essential members of the care team who often provide invaluable medication management support to the people they care for. [caption id="attachment_28875" align="alignright" width="300"]This article was sponsored and developed in collaboration with PSA and Carers NSW[/caption] However, pharmacists may perceive medication errors or non-adherence as a carer’s inability to fulfil this role,1 instead of an opportunity for improving education and support. Ensuring that carers are identified by pharmacists as members of the patient’s care team, included in discussions about the patient’s care and supported to fulfil their role is key to ensuring quality use of medicines and optimal outcomes for patients and carers. Across Australia, there are approximately 3 million carers who provide unpaid care or support to a family member or friend living with disability, mental illness, chronic or life-limiting illness, drug or alcohol dependency or who is ageing or frail.2 This includes at least 391,300 children and young people under 25 years of age.2 A carer may be a parent, partner, sibling, relative, child, friend or neighbour of the person requiring care. Carers come from all walks of life, and anyone can become a carer at any time. Carers are diverse and each caring experience is different. Carers provide a wide range of supports to help the person they care for to remain living at home and in the community. They may also provide ongoing support for someone living temporarily or permanently in residential care. This support can include personal care, domestic assistance, support with navigating and coordinating health and disability services, emotional and social support, as well as assistance with communication, decision making and advocacy.3 Pharmacies are a common setting that carers visit with, or on behalf of, the person they care for. Carers may support with:
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28858 [post_author] => 7616 [post_date] => 2025-03-10 09:21:35 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:21:35 [post_content] => Food can act as a prompt for medicine administration and be an easy way for patients to incorporate doses into their routines.Explaining to patients that they should take a medicine on an empty stomach or in a specific way away from food may not always be met with great enthusiasm! Confusion, and not fitting into a patient’s routine where possible, can lead to poor adherence and negative patient outcomes.
Why does food sometimes matter?
Food, or the absence of it, may significantly impact systemic exposure, safety, tolerability and effectiveness of a medicine, depending on its pharmacokinetics and adverse effects.
Take alendronate for example – the product information (PI) recommends taking it at least 30 minutes before the first food of the day as its bioavailability is negligible when taken with or up to 2 hours after a meal.1,2
Why do some PIs have a differing definition of an ‘empty stomach’?
This may stem from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance in America, where many medicines are first introduced to the market.
FDA guidance for medicine sponsors suggests that if a medicine needs to be taken in fasted conditions, studies using an overnight fast of at least 10 hours before medicine administration, and waiting at least 4 hours after the dose before eating, are optimal. However, this might not be practical for all medicines and patients. It is then up to the medicine’s sponsor to provide pharmacokinetic data to support pragmatic and realistic dosing instructions for patients to separate food and medicine administration. Sponsors can use modified fasting conditions with differing separation times, and must consider frequency of medicine dosing, the likely demographics of the patient, the condition being treated and any other relevant factors.3 These could vary significantly between different medicines!
Why does CAL 3b say something different to the PI?
The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF) considers that an empty stomach for the purposes of medicine absorption is ‘at least half an hour before food or two hours after food’, as reflected in the wording of Cautionary Advisory Label (CAL) 3b.4,5
This standardised approach is to ensure medicine instructions are simplified and practical for patients, and may differ from the medicine’s PI. Remember, CALs are intended to be used as an adjunct, not a replacement, to verbal counselling.5
Consider adherence and use professional judgement when providing advice on dose administration.
This may require weighing up optimal dose timing and adherence if a patient can’t easily accommodate the timing of doses, particularly when treating chronic conditions.4
References
[post_title] => What is an empty stomach? [post_excerpt] => Confusion around what's meant by an empty stomach can lead to poor adherence. Here's how clear instructions can make a world of difference. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => what-is-an-empty-stomach [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-10 09:24:03 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-09 22:24:03 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28858 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => What is an empty stomach? [title] => What is an empty stomach? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/what-is-an-empty-stomach/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28860 [authorType] => )
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Fosamax Plus Product Information. 2024. At: www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg/136846
- Alendronate. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference; [updated 30 Oct 2024]. At: www.medicinescomplete.com/#/content/martindale/22524-r?hspl=alendronate#content%2Fmartindale%2F22524-r%2319721-a3-v
- US Food and Drug Administration. Assessing the effects of food on drugs in INDs and NDAs – clinical pharmacology considerations: guidance for industry. 2022. At: www.fda.gov/media/121313/download
- Grannell, L. When should I take my medicines? Aust Prescr 2019;42:86–9.
- Sansom LN, ed. Cautionary advisory labels Explanatory notes. Australian pharmaceutical formulary and handbook; [updated 2024 Jul 24]. At: https://apf.psa.org.au/dispensing-and-labelling/cautionary-advisory-labels/explanatory-notes
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28830 [post_author] => 8304 [post_date] => 2025-03-05 12:47:11 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-05 01:47:11 [post_content] => Rosuvastatin. Pantoprazole. Perindopril. Sertraline. These were some of the most commonly prescribed PBS drugs in 2024. But what else do they have in common? Tongue-twisters aside, they’re all examples of judiciously crafted drug names that have gone through countless rounds of testing by researchers, developers and brand marketing teams before making their way into Australian pharmacies. Pharmacists are trained to interpret the class of drugs from the last few letters of a generic name, particularly after Australia transitioned to active ingredient prescribing in 2021. But how do we get from sertraline to Zoloft, and what about the many forms of ethinylestradiol-based birth contraceptives (Yaz, Jolessa… Sronyx)? As it turns out, drug naming is more complex than it seems. Australian Pharmacist looks at the hard and fast rules governing drug monikers – all designed with patient safety in mind.Breaking down a drug name
Pharmacists are likely well aware of the multiple guises medications take – three in fact: their chemical name, generic name (or nonproprietary), and brand name. The chemical name follows rules set by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Once the drug is approved by the relevant regulator, it’s then assigned a generic and brand name. The generic name is based on the active ingredient and follows a standardised nomenclature, while the brand name is the trademarked name proposed by the manufacturer. It’s within these last two categories that drug developers have a bit of scope for creativity.The science behind generic names
Before paracetamol lands in the pharmacy aisle as Panadol, pharmaceutical companies must first propose a generic name for the medication. This name must be greenlit by two organisations: the national regulating body (i.e. in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Association), and on a global stage, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Nonproprietary Name (INN) Programme. Generic names follow an internationally recognised formula of prefix–infix–stem to maintain consistency regardless of where someone is located, and minimise the risk of prescribing errors. The:
Stem | Uses | Examples |
-cillin | Antibiotics (penicillin type) | Amoxicillin, ampicillin, |
-mab | Monoclonal antibodies used for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other conditions | Adalimumab, abciximab, trastuzumab |
-profen | Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen type) | Ibuprofen, flurbiprofen |
-vastatin | HMG-CoA inhibitors, lowers cholesterol | Atorvastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin |
-vir | Anti-viral drugs (to treat HIV, herpes, hepatitis) | Aciclovir, ritonavir |
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28792 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2025-03-03 12:30:37 [post_date_gmt] => 2025-03-03 01:30:37 [post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities. PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care. ‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said. ‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’ Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District. With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship. David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact. A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report. Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships. Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award. [post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-03-03 15:19:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-03-03 04:19:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28792 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/psa-nsw-excellence-award-winners-announced/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28806 [authorType] => )
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Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd.