Multiple barriers to ‘brief interventions’ for alcohol in primary care A lack of time, resources and low community awareness of alcohol harms influence uptake of brief interventions, according to new research.
Further room for improvement in health literacy Recent patient feedback further establishes GPs’ stewardship role in health literacy and safeguarding quality use of medicines.
New roadmap for treatment of acute pancreatitis Experts hope the research will change the mindset of clinicians to better target treatment strategies.
Two-thirds of Australians support pill testing at festivals: Survey Supporters hope public pressure will lead to policy changes, but opponents maintain ‘no pill is safe’.
Wastewater reveals record high drug consumption New Australian data shows a spike in overall drug use at the height of the pandemic, but opioid use is down.
Is there hidden trauma behind strict drug laws? Dr Hester Wilson raises concerns over the ‘drugs are bad’ mentality, when there is a proven harm-minimisation approach.
Top experts call for major new coalition on non-medical pandemic research The best successes against the ever-growing coronavirus pandemic have so far not come from drugs or vaccines, but from behavioural and social techniques.
Melbourne to get second safe-injecting room The news follows a review of the city’s first facility, though questions remain as to the choice of a site near the busy Queen Victoria Market.
Remdesivir and COVID-19: What GPs need to know It has become the first therapy for COVID-19 to receive FDA approval for emergency use – but evidence of its effectiveness remains mixed.
GPs ‘very useful part’ of support network for postnatal depression In the fourth of a series of HANDI updates, newsGP talks to the author of a recently added intervention.