Australian state first to offer permanent pill testing Queensland will invest $1 million over two years to establish free, confidential and ongoing illicit drug testing services.
Deaths and overdoses prompt coroner pill testing call Two Victorian coroners have said the service could provide ‘lifesaving insights’ and tailored information to illicit drug users.
GPs encouraged to upskill in opioid dependence treatment An RACGP program aims to help GPs better understand this ‘rewarding’ area of medicine and boost authorised prescriber numbers.
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’.
‘Game changing’ extended skills recognition launched The RACGP program is open to all Fellows with at least five years’ experience in their interest area, including dermatology and addiction.
What GPs need to know about opioid dependency changes The new scheme will benefit tens of thousands, but the small implementation window could be tricky to navigate, writes Dr Hester Wilson.
People seeking help for alcohol reaches decade-long peak Almost half of all substance use treatment episodes involve alcohol as a drug of concern, new data shows.
‘Misused evidence’: Spotlight on alcohol industry submissions New research looking at alcohol industry contributions to inform national strategy has found numerous ways science is misrepresented.
Identifying the ripple effects of problem gambling GPs have ‘an amazing role’ in embedding discussion around risk and harms through routine assessments, says expert Dr Hester Wilson.
‘Many roads to change’: The therapeutic alliance for AOD use A newly published paper in AJGP builds on the RACGP’s AOD Education Program to present a ‘universally applicable’ approach for GPs.