General Health

220 medications discontinued in the past 18 months

Since the start of 2018, over 220 medications have been discontinued by the manufacturer and taken off the market for reasons other than safety, according to data compiled by the (TGA). In over half of the cases the impact to public health has been assessed as ‘medium’. Matthew Bellgrove from National Custom Compounding said when […]

Psychiatry turns to compounding pharmacy for expert help in drug-drug interactions

The exponential growth of psychopharmacology has been both a boon to modern psychiatry and a source of challenge. The range of antidepressant, antipsychotic, and increasingly, anticonvulsant drugs now available to psychiatry are far greater than ever before. When you add off-label medications to the mix, the list climbs to well over 300. The impressive arsenal […]

New study finds Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) could offer hope to sufferers of Fibromyalgia

A newly released observational study conducted by researchers from the Verona University Hospital in Italy has suggested that a substance currently classified as a food product could potentially offer hope to sufferers of Fibromyalgia. In the study, data from 407 fibromyalgia patients who had been prescribed ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) tablets between the years 2013 and […]

Trump’s trade war with China could see medicine shortages worsen – here’s why

As the rhetoric ratchets up in the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, there arises the very real possibility that the medicines we prescribe, dispense and use every day here in Australia, could be the collateral damage. When Donald Trump introduced a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion worth of Chinese imports […]

Are gut microbes making a meal of our medication?

Ever wondered why some people respond well to a course of medication, while others hardly respond at all? It may have to do with the different levels of medication-munching microbes lurking in our guts, according to a new body of research. Scientists from Harvard University and University of California San Francisco have just released results […]

New study finds common additive in medicine could lead to cancer and bowel disease

Consumption of a common Australian food additive, also used in medicines, could lead to colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease according to new research from the University of Sydney. As part of the study, researchers fed food containing the common additive E171 (titanium dioxide nanoparticles) to mice over a period of time, then studied changes […]

What is a troche and how do they work?

Far from being a new-age invention, the humble troche been around since at least 1000 BC when the ancient Egyptians made a type of lozenge from honey, herbs and spices to treat a sore throat. Now-days troches are used as a medicine delivery vehicle in the treatment of a range of conditions from menopause to […]

50% of patients don’t stick to their long term medical treatment plan – why this is a problem for aged care providers

In the aged care environment ensuring patients take all their medication every time is a constant challenge. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in their report ‘Adherence to Long-Term Therapies – Evidence for Action’ claims that in developed countries 50% of patients on long-term treatment plans don’t take their medications as prescribed. These 50% skip their […]

New study proves essential oils can stop nail fungus in its tracks. But which ones?

Anyone who’s suffered from a nail fungus infection knows that antifungal treatments simply don’t work. Now there’s a new study that shows what many in the integrative medicine community have known for years – essential oils can stop nail fungus in its tracks, and for the long term. The study, conducted by scientists from University […]

High dose vitamins found to reduce side effects of chemotherapy

Cancer patients who take high doses of antioxidants, such as vitamins A, B-carotene C, D, E, K and melatonin, experience a marked reduction in some of the more toxic side effects associated with chemotherapy, according to an academic review. The review, conducted by researchers from D.Y. Patil University, analysed 138 peer-reviewed articles, including clinical trials, […]

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