Q85 Medical and Other Health Care Services

Neuroplasticity at work: video games to boost children’s brains

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Hannah Francis
The Age – Page: 10 : 2-Sep-14

Alzheimer Australia will stage its "Technology and Dementia" forum in Melbourne on 2 September 2014. One of the key speakers is neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley, head of the University of California, San Francisco’s Neuroscape Labs. He will argue that both young people and the elderly can benefit from playing certain types of video games that foster neuroplasticity, or the permanent strengthening of specific neural pathways. Neuroscape Labs is developing such software for children

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, ALZHEIMER’S AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Doctors fear health impact over north shore tunnel

roymorgansocial 1 Comment

Original article by Amy Corderoy
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 6 : 1-Sep-14

The New South Wales (NSW) Government says air quality will be watched closely near ventilation stacks for the proposed NorthConnex tunnel. It will link the M1 and M2 motorways in Sydney and cost $A3bn, and has sparked concern about the impact of pollution in the upper north shore area among doctors of the Australian Medical Association’s NSW branch and the Asthma Foundation of NSW. Local resident and medical practitioner Ray Nassar is handing the Government a petition with 250 signatures by colleagues

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NSW) LIMITED, ASTHMA FOUNDATION OF NEW SOUTH WALES, CROSS CITY TUNNEL PTY LTD, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD, LANE COVE TUNNEL COMPANY PTY LTD, WOOLCOCK INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH LIMITED, NEW SOUTH WALES. ROADS AND MARITIME SERVICES

Doctors warn on euthanasia

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew Tillett
The West Australian – Page: 15 : 1-Sep-14

There is opposition among Western Australian doctors to a federal private member’s Bill on euthanasia. The so-called "dying with dignity" bill is being introduced to federal parliament by Australian Greens senator Richard Di Natale. Dr Doug Bridges, the former head of palliative care at the Royal Perth Hospital, says the emphasis should be on giving terminally-ill patients good palliative care, adding that doctors should not be forced to kill people

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ROYAL PERTH HOSPITAL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Women wrong on cancer risk

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Cathy O’Leary
The West Australian – Page: 3 : 29-Aug-14

Research has revealed that Western Australian (WA) women have little understanding of the causes of breast cancer. Researchers from Curtin University, University of WA and Cancer Council WA surveyed over 2,700 women, including 1,100 with breast cancer. Women without breast cancer felt that genetics was the main risk factor, while women with cancer felt that stress was a major factor. However, the views are not backed by evidence

CORPORATES
CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, CANCER COUNCIL WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Monash eyes small clinics and Asian leap

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 29-Aug-14

Australian-listed Monash IVF has reported a 2013-14 net profit of $A2.6m, compared with a $A14.6m loss in 2012-13. The group’s revenue of $A114m was 18 per cent higher than previously, and earnings were bolstered by acquisitions and demand for IVF-related services. CEO James Thiedeman has indicated that the group plans to expand in Asia

CORPORATES
MONASH IVF GROUP LIMITED – ASX MVF, VIRTUS HEALTH LIMITED – ASX VRT, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Business chiefs push for medical research fund

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Jemima Whyte, Joanna Heath, Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Aug-14

Some business leaders are publicly supporting the Australian Government’s $A20 billion Medical Research Future Fund. UBS CEO Matthew Grounds, Wesfarmers CEO Richard Goyder and ASX CEO Elmer Funke Kupper are concerned that the measure will not be passed by the Senate. They said that it will provide social and commercial benefits for Australia, attracting capital and making the health sector more profitable

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN MOTORING ENTHUSIAST PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO

Hidden gene clue to diabetes

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Cathy O’Leary
The West Australian – Page: 3 : 27-Aug-14

Medical researchers from the University of Melbourne and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Perth have identified a new gene that is linked to obesity. Dr Sof Andrikopoulos of Melbourne University says the discovery of the gene is like to result in changes to the way diabetes is classified and treated, noting that a range of genetic factors rather than lifestyle choices contribute to the onset of diabetes

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, HARRY PERKINS INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, DIABETES SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN DIABETES EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN HOSPITAL

Labor will pursue cannabis reform

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Henrietta Cook, Anna Whitelaw
The Age – Page: 3 : 25-Aug-14

Victorian Opposition leader Daniel Andrews has announced that the Australian Labor Party’s platform for the November 2014 state election will contain a pledge to reform current legislation that bans the use of cannabis for medical purposes. If elected, Labor will ask the Victorian Law Reform Commission for proposals on how to decriminalise the use of the drug in the area of pain relief. Tony Bartone, the Australian Medical Association’s state branch president, backs the push

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (VICTORIA) LIMITED, VICTORIAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION

‘No evidence’ over higher medicine cost affecting use

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dan Harrison
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 5 : 20-Aug-14

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Grattan Institute and others have cited research on the effect of higher prices for prescription drugs in their evidence to a Senate inquiry into a Federal Government plan to lift fees under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. On 19 August 2014 however, acting Health Department deputy secretary Richard Bartlett rejected claims that the increased charges would lead to some patients opting not to buy the medications prescribed by their doctors. The Government aims to save $A1.3bn over four years

CORPORATES
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, GRATTAN INSTITUTE

Researchers cut at Ebola laboratory

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nicky Phillips, Phillip Thomson, Bridie Smith
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 7 : 15-Aug-14

The Australian Government’s May 2014 Budget contained funding cuts of $A111m over four years for the CSIRO research body. It has now been claimed by the CSIRO Staff Association that as many as eight researchers will be made redundant at its Australian Animal Health Laboratory. The facility in Geelong is the only one in the nation equipped to handle live samples of dangerous viruses such as ebola. The cuts are criticised by Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre director Mark Walker and Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty. Kurt Zuelke, director of the Biosecurity Flagship at CSIRO, says research on the Hendra virus and avian influenza will remain unaffected

CORPORATES
CSIRO, CSIRO. AUSTRALIAN ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORY, CSIRO STAFF ASSOCIATION, UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND. AUSTRALIAN INFECTIOUS DISEASES RESEARCH CENTRE, NOBEL FOUNDATION