Australian Defence Force & Emergency Services Entry Requirements:

Don't let Asthma hold you back...

A handy guide to finding the medical entry requirements for the Australian Defence Force and Emergency Services around Australia has just been published on the National Asthma Council Australia website. 

With good medical management, an up-to-date asthma action plan and regular health check-ups, many people with asthma are now able to realise their ambition of joining these services.

People with asthma may have an opportunity to serve the community as members of the state and federal police, metropolitan and rural fire services, and state ambulance services, as well as through the Australian Defence Force.

While each service has its own specific recruitment requirements, applicants usually need to undertake a full medical assessment to ensure that they can be employed at minimum risk to themselves, their workmates and the community.

For links to more detailed information about the medical requirements and application process for each service, you can now visit the National Asthma Council Australia website.

For more information

Defence Force Entry Requirements 
(www.nationalasthma.org.au/content/view/666/1087/)

FDA asthma drug finding welcomed 

The National Asthma Council Australia has welcomed the outcome of the United States' Food and Drug Administration's review into the safety of long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) to treat asthma, which will bring US usage in line with the balanced prescribing approach already undertaken in Australia.

In Australia, LABAs (symptom controllers) may only be prescribed and used in combination with inhaled corticosteroids.

In the US, however, these medicines have been prescribed as a stand-alone treatment for asthma. 

Safety concerns over the US usage regimen have been mounting in recent years with studies linking stand-alone use of LABAs with an increased risk of serious worsening of asthma symptoms leading to hospitalisation and death.

Following its review, the FDA now requires LABA manufacturers to include warnings on products stating that the drugs should not be used alone in adults and children and should be taken along with inhaled corticosteroids. 

"This outcome reinforces the fact that the Australian asthma management guidelines contained in the Asthma Management Handbook are among the very best in the world and will be reassuring for the two million plus Australians with asthma," said National Asthma Council Australia Director, Associate Professor Peter Wark.

The National Asthma Council Australia recommends a stepwise approach to asthma care.

In those with persistent asthma symptoms it is recommended that they be treated with an inhaled corticosteroid regularly to reduce symptoms and reduce the risk of acute asthma.

For people who have persisting symptoms despite the use of inhaled corticosteroids, the addition of an age appropriate LABA leads to better symptom control and reduces the risk of acute flare-ups of asthma, but only when used concurrently with an inhaled corticosteroid.  

"Used in combination, these medications are effective and very valuable in the control of asthma, especially in those with more severe disease," Associate Professor Wark said.

For more information

Asthma Council Welcomes FDA Asthma Drug Finding

Update on LABAs safety in Australia - Dec 2008 

National Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee Asthma Research Symposium: 19 March, 2010

The Asthma Foundations of Australia (AFA) National Medical and Scientific Committee (MASAC) will be holding a Research Symposium to be held on Friday 19th March from 11am to 5.00pm at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

The goal of the symposium is to inform national research priorities in asthma and linked conditions. A report of proceedings and recommendations is to be published on the AFA website. 

For more information see:

  Registration form - National Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee Asthma Research Symposium 99.36 Kb

Electronic Health Records Security Top Priority

A general practice at the heart of the Black Saturday bushfires, awarded the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) 2009 Victoria General Practice of the Year Award has worked tirelessly to get the practice back on its feet a year on from the fires.

One of the painfully slow after-effects of the Black Saturday bushfires has been to rebuild all of the vital community information that was lost, including the medical records of all patients at the Marysville Medical Clinic, now located in Buxton. When the Marysville Clinic burnt to the ground that day, along with it went all the files, paper records and patient history of many families and individuals living in the area.

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) is the lead organisation supporting the national vision for e-health in Australia. “E-Health is the electronic collection, management, use, storage and sharing of healthcare information instead of using paper records. A national e-health system will ensure that health information is safely and securely stored at all times.”

“This means that the medical treatment for any person affected by a tragedy such as Black Saturday will never again have to be delayed while waiting for all information to be updated or assessed,” said Peter Fleming, CEO of NEHTA.

Source: NEHTA Media Release 22 January 2010

The Inaugural World Health Care Networks (WHCN) Conference

World Health Care Networks (WHCN) will hold the first major event in the start of an international movement which aims to make a real and lasting difference in the health and lives of the people of the world in Auckland, New Zealand, from 22-24 July 2010.

WHCN is an initiative of the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) and General Practice New Zealand (a new entity being formed by the Independent Practitioners Association Council and the General Practice Nursing Alliance).

WHCN has been founded with the aim of identifying and utilising the strengths and benefits of health care networks, and the opportunities that networked organisations can bring to improve the health and wellbeing of populations. Ultimately the vision for WHCN is to establish a world-wide collaboration of organisations which are similarly committed to using the strengths of networks to improve health and wellbeing.

The 2010 Inaugural Conference provides a forum for people from around the globe to work together on sustainable solutions which help improve the health and wellbeing of the world’s population. The Conference will bring together peak organisations involved in networked primary health care and general practice with policy makers, strategists, funders, purchasers and health service professionals to share information and ideas, and learn from the best from all around the world.

Find out more: www.whcnetworks.com/

Comments on link between HRT and Asthma

A new study has been published in Thorax that suggests postmenopausal use of oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased rate of newly diagnosed asthma in menopausal women. 

Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK, says: 'There is now a large body of evidence suggesting a link between female hormones, including the use of HRT, the development of asthma and its severity. However this is the first large-scale and long-term study to suggest that it is oestrogen-only HRT which significantly increases the risk.

'It's still too early to say exactly how the menopause or taking HRT affects asthma symptoms and who is likely to be affected. Therefore women who are intending to use HRT need to weigh up the broader health benefits of HRT with the possibility of an increased risk of asthma, especially those with a history of asthma or allergy in their family.

'We know that some women develop asthma symptoms during periods of hormonal change so it's important to speak to a doctor if you start to experience regular symptoms like breathlessness, cough or wheeze.'

Jean Hailes Foundation Director Prof Henry Burger noted "The study from which this data was obtained is a large observational study of French female teachers who have been followed long-term for outcomes possibly related to the use of various forms of post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy. The results for asthma confirm those from the large American Nurses' Health study and from several other publications, except for the finding of a lack of effect for combined hormone therapy."

"The development of new onset asthma is in the rare category for adverse effects of HRT and would not be considered clinically significant," Prof Burger said.

Sources:
Asthma UK, 9 February 2010
The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health, 10 February 2010 

Reference

Romieu I, Fabre A, Fournier A et al. Postmenopausal hormone therapy and asthma onset in the E3N cohort. Thorax Published Online First: 8 February 2010 doi:10.1136/thx.2009.116079

Research Funding Opportunities

Asthma Foundation of Queensland

Research Grants 2011

Applications are invited for grants in research relating to Asthma. The research, which must be undertaken in Queensland, may be in either basic medical sciences or clinical fields.

Grants will be awarded only to individuals and to institutions with access to appropriate research facilities under the supervision of a responsible investigator. Grants may cover salaries for research, technical, or other assistance as well as the cost of minor equipment, materials and other necessary items.

The Foundation is keen to encourage new researchers, and has made available a portion of the 2011 research grant funds to newcomers commencing their research careers.

As an indication for applicants, over the past five years, grants have ranged from $15,000 to $96,000 but applications above and below these values will still be considered and assessed upon merit.

Further information and application forms are available for downloading at the foundation’s website or from:-

Chief Executive Officer
The Asthma Foundation of Queensland
PO Box 394
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Telephone: (07) 3252 7677 or 1800 645 130
Facsimile: 07 3257 1080
Web: http://www.asthmaqld.org.au/  

Conference Diary

Submit brief conference/meeting details to the National Asthma Council Australia for possible posting in our Conference Diary by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

2010
	2010 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Respiratory Science 19–22 March 2010 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Queensland, Australia www.anzsrs.org.au
	2010 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Thoracic Society of Australian and New Zealand 20–24 March 2010 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Queensland, Australia www.thoracic.org.au
	2010 American Thoracic Society International Conference May 14-19, 2010 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA www.thoracic.org
	National Medicines Symposium 2010 26-28 May 2010  Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre Melbourne VIC www.nms2010.org.au/
	The 5th IPCRG World Conference: 2010 Making every breath count 2-5 June 2010 Westin Harbour Castle Hotel Toronto, Canada  www.ipcrg-toronto2010.org
	The Inaugural World Health Care Networks (WHCN) Conference  22-24 July 2010  Auckland, New Zealand  www.whcnetworks.com/
	INTERASMA World Congress 3-6 November Athens, Greece wca2010.gr/pages/en/welcome.php
	8th Asia Pacific Congress of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APCAACI 2010)  6-9 November 2010  Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre  http://www.apcaaci2010.org/  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it