In the media
Safety review of baby bouncers, rockers and inclined
sleep products
The ACCC will begin a safety review of products designed
for infants such as bouncers, rockers and inclined sleep products
(12 July 2019).
More...
World update recognises emotional key to healthy
workplaces
In its recent 11th Revision of the International
Classification of Diseases, The World Health Organisation
recognised the serious effects of burnout, defining it as a
syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been
successfully managed (12 July 2019).
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TGA opioid RUM push
Pain patients with unused opioids are being urged to
return them to their local pharmacy, as part of a social media
campaign being rolled out by the Therapeutic Goods Administration
(12 July 2019).
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SHPA welcomes ongoing urgency to address opioid-related
harm
Eight months after the release of its landmark Reducing
Opioid-related Harm report, the SHPA has welcomed a new awareness
campaign from the Therapeutic Goods Administration aimed at curbing
the growing incidence of harm caused by opioid-containing products
in the Australian community (10 July 2019).
More...
'Public's not adequately protected': Medical
regulator accused of not doing its job properly
Understaffing, a toxic culture and pressure to meet
unrealistic targets at the national health regulator are risking
public safety, according to whistleblowers (09 July 2019).
More...
CEO of ARPANSA restricts production in the ANSTO Nuclear
Medicine facility after accident
Production of nuclear medicine at ANSTO's Nuclear
Medicine facility was halted on 21 June following an accident in
which the hands of three workers were exposed to radiation (08 July
2019).
More...
The deadly perils of not investing in medical AI
Professor Enrico Coiera, The Director of the Australian
Institute of Health Informatics, said we were going to need to
formulate a national approach to AI in medicine if we wanted our
local sector to be safe and have ethical governance. In Australia,
there are few standards to oversee safe and effective use of
digital health, and none specifically dealing with AI (08 July
2019).
More...
Child immunisation at record levels
The number of Australian children who are fully immunised
continues to increase to record levels with new data showing more
parents are getting the message to protect their children with
life-saving vaccines (08 July 2019).
More...
Queensland
Aged-care home shutdown 'wake up call'
Aged-care facilities across Australia are at "risk of
failure" without adequate federal funding, the industry's
peak body has warned, after the sudden shut down of a Queensland
facility left residents stranded. The federal government has
promised a full investigation into the Queensland facility (13 July
2019).
More...
Gold Coast nursing home residents in limbo, claims wages
unpaid for a month
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles has called for an
investigation into the sudden closure of a Gold Coast aged care
facility yesterday after claims the nursing home was stripped and
patient records taken (12 July 2019).
More...
Mining bosses could face $10m fines under industrial
manslaughter laws
The Queensland government will consider expanding
industrial manslaughter laws to the resources sector, which could
lead to mining bosses being fined up to $10 million. The
development comes after crisis talks on Wednesday afternoon with
the mining sector, following the deaths of six workers in
Queensland's mines and quarries in the past 12 months (10 July
2019).
More...
Community consultation opens on CQ rehab site
The Central Queensland community will be able to have
their say on a possible site for a new 42-bed residential
rehabilitation site in Rockhampton (10 July 2019).
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Superbug risk will rise if Queensland pharmacy trial
continues
The Queensland government is exposing the community to one
of the biggest global health risks, antibiotic resistant
infections, as it prepares for a pharmacist antibiotic dispensing
trial according to Queensland Chair of the RACGP, Dr Bruce Willett
(08 July 2019).
More...
Queensland Health issues measles alert for
Brisbane's north
A measles alert has been issued for Brisbane's
northside, making it the fourth in 2019. About 30 per cent of
adults with measles will be hospitalised and Queensland Health
offers free vaccines to anyone who was born in 1966 or later and
who has not had two doses of the MMR vaccine (08 July 2019).
More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
AAMRI e-news 9 July 2019
In this issue; Government update – Consultations
currently open, Sector news – Government accepts stillbirth
report recommendations, NHMRC update – Application dates for
major schemes, MRFF update – Genomics Health Futures Missions
deadline extension, Other funding & award opportunities –
2020 CSL Centenary Fellowship closes soon, Reports & resources
– 2019 Sector Competitiveness Plan. More...
Practice and Regulation
RACGP Submission: Feedback on the Draft Clinical
Practice Guidelines for Keratinocyte Cancer
Advocacy
The submission provides feedback regarding a number of
areas, including the following: The title of the guidelines,
Definition of the term "specialist", Epidemiology of
basal cell carcinoma and Early detection of keratinocyte cancers
and opportunistic screening (08 July 2019).
More...
SafeWork Australia: Proposal to adopt updated GHS under
the model WHS laws
Since 1 January 2017, the 3rd revised edition of the GHS
(GHS 3) has been implemented under the model Work
Health and Safety laws. A Consultation Paper has been prepared
which outlines the key changes between GHS 3 and GHS 7 and the
particular issues we would like feedback on.
More...
Personalised Medical Devices
The International Medical Device Regulators Forum working
group on Personalized Medical Devices is developing guidance for
definitions and regulatory pathways for Regulatory Authorities to
consider in the regulation of medical devices that are intended for
individual patients. The goal is to promote global harmonisation in
the terminology and premarket requirements for such devices. The
working group's chair is Dr Elizabeth McGrath.
More...
Consultation Paper on the Pricing Framework for
Australian Public Hospital Services 2020–21
The Independent Health Pricing Authority is currently
consulting on the Pricing Framework for Public Hospitals to apply
for 2020-21. Among the matters on which the IHPA is consulting is
whether it should make the National Benchmarking Portal publicly
available.
More...
New Australian Standards
DR AS/NZS 2500:2019
Guide to the safe use of electricity in patient care.
Standards Australia.
More...
TGA Notifications
Updates to variations to prescription medicines guidance
and e-form
What has been updated? (10 July 2019).
More...
Everything you ever wanted to know about sunscreens (but
were afraid to ask)
Tips on what to consider when choosing or applying a
sunscreen (10 July 2019).
More...
Scheduling committees meeting dates and decisions
timeframes
Scheduling committees meeting dates and decisions
timeframes (10 July 2019).
More...
Variations to prescription medicines - excluding
variations requiring the evaluation of clinical or bioequivalence
data
Updates to the prescription medicine variations guidance
and e-form (10 July 2019).
More...
TGA strengthens regulation of stem cell treatments
New regulations for stem cell treatments in Australia came
into force on 1 July 2019 (09 July 2019).
More...
Submissions received and summary: Proposal for the
regulation of IVD companion diagnostics
Publication of submissions received to the 'Proposal
for the regulation of IVD companion diagnostics' consultation
(09 July 2019).
More...
Australian Public Assessment Reports for prescription
medicines (AusPARs)
Added Plitidepsin (Aplidin), Octocog alfa (bhk) (Kovaltry)
and Lenalidomide (Revlimid) (08 July 2019).
More...
Queensland
Queensland Parliament – 11 July 2019
Report - No. 32, 56th Parliament - Medicines and Poisons Bill
2019
The Committee's findings from its investigation into the
Medicines and Poisons Bill 2019.
State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry
Development Committee - Report No. 32, 56th Parliament - Medicines
and Poisons Bill 2019 inquiry.
Report - No. 31, 56th Parliament - Therapeutic Goods Bill
2019
The Committee's findings from its investigation into the
Therapeutic Goods Bill 2019.
State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry
Development Committee - Report No. 31, 56th Parliament -
Therapeutic Goods Bill 2019 inquiry.
QAO Audit: Addressing mine dust lung disease
This audit will examine how effectively public sector
entities have implemented recommendations aimed at reducing the
risk and occurrence of mine dust lung disease. In progress.
Anticipated tabling: Aug–Oct 2019.
More...
HQCC Investigation register
The nature of the matter being investigated is noted below
in general terms, and may be connected to relevant legislation or a
framework. Descriptions beginning with a number refer to a
potential offence under the corresponding section of the
Health Ombudsman Act 2013. Descriptions beginning
with 'Clause' refer to alleged contravention of the
corresponding clause of the
National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers (Queensland).
More...
Legislation
Commonwealth
Regulations
Australian
Hearing Services (Declared Hearing Services) Determination
2019
This instrument establishes, under the Australian
Hearing Services Act 1991, the classes of people to
whom Australian Hearing Services provides declared hearing services
(10 July 2019).
Australia
New Zealand Food Standards Code—Schedule 20–maximum
residue limits Variation Instrument No. APVMA 4,
2019
This instrument amends Australia New Zealand Food
Standards Code – Schedule 20 – Maximum residue limits
to set new and varied maximum residue limits and make changes to
certain residue definitions, commodities and substances (10 July
2019).
Hearing
Services Program (Voucher) Instrument
2019
This instrument facilitates the administration of the
voucher component of the Hearing Services Program as established by
the Hearing Services Administration Act 1997. It
determines classes of eligible persons additional to those
described by the Act, the rules around obtaining and using a
'voucher' for government funded hearing services and
specifies services and devices available to eligible persons (09
July 2019).
Therapeutic
Goods (Breast Implants Information) Specification
2019
This instrument specifies the publication of certain
therapeutic goods information relating to breast implants, mammary
implants or tissue expanders (09 July 2019).
This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.