In the news May 2005
Smoking claims the lives 6,800 people in NSW each year
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: Sydney Morning Herald 30 May 2005
Interview with Prof. Simon Chapman (Medicine) about new study findings that smoking claims the lives 6,800 people in NSW each year and passive smoking contributes to 78 deaths across NSW every year.
Smoking claims the lives 6,800 people in NSW each year
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: Radio - 2UE Sydney, NXFM Newcastle, KO FM Newcastle 30 May 2005
Interview with Prof. Simon Chapman (Medicine) about new study findings that smoking claims the lives 6,800 people in NSW each year and passive smoking contributes to 78 deaths across NSW every year.
This week is Wee Week!
Associate Professor Jonathan Craig, Screening and Test Evaluation Program (STEP), Nephrology, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Source: Radio National Health Report 30 May 2005
Interview with Associate Professor Craig (Public Health) about kidney disease which is increasing rapidly and the death rate is higher than most cancers. This week is Wee Week and Kidney Health Australia is running a campaign encouraging high risk people to check the urine for early signs of kidney disease.
Banking on survival
Associate Professor Christine Clarke, Discipline of Medicine - Westmead Millennium Institute for Cancer Research
Source: Radio - 2UE, 2GB 26 May 2005
A breast cancer tissue bank has been launched in Sydney to help drive more research into the disease. Tissue bank project manager Professor Clarke said the bank expected up to 3,000 collections a year. The bank will store tumour tissue, blood and patients information for use by scientists researching breast cancer treatments.
Banking on survival
Associate Professor Christine Clarke, Discipline of Medicine - Westmead Millennium Institute for Cancer Research
Source: TV - Channel 9 News, ABC News, NBN News, Ten News 26 May 2005
A breast cancer tissue bank has been launched in Sydney to help drive more research into the disease. Tissue bank project manager Professor Clarke said the bank expected up to 3,000 collections a year. The bank will store tumour tissue, blood and patients information for use by scientists researching breast cancer treatments.
Banking on survival
Associate Professor Christine Clarke, Discipline of Medicine - Westmead Millennium Institute for Cancer Research
Source: Daily Telegraph, Canberra Times 26 May 2005
A breast cancer tissue bank has been launched in Sydney to help drive more research into the disease. Tissue bank project manager Professor Clarke said the bank expected up to 3,000 collections a year. The bank will store tumour tissue, blood and patients information for use by scientists researching breast cancer treatments.
Call for broad-based mental health services
Professor Ian (Brian) Hickie, Discipline of Psychiatry, Brain Mind Research Institute
Source: Sydney Morning Herald 25 May 2005
Consumers already frustrated by a lack of mental health services would receive little joy from the modest increase announced in yesterday's State budget, experts warned. Prof. Ian Hickie (BMRI) said NSW had chronically underspent on mental health and the State and Federal Governments needed to inject $2 billion in recurrent funding into mental health services.
Calcium and Vitamin D in Osteoporosis
Professor Phillip Sambrook (Discipline of Medicine - Department of Rheumatology, RNSH)
Source: Radio National Health Report 23 May 2005
Interview with Professor Sambrook and Director of Osteoporosis Australia about recent trial showing that additional calcium and Vit. D in osteoporosis patients did not actually prevent further bone breakage.
Research projects focus on health of indigenous children
Faculty of medicine, University of Sydney
Source: Medical News Today 21 May 2005
Four research projects in WA and NSW targeting the health of Indigenous children will receive $6.5 million from the Federal Government through the Healthy Start to Life initiative introduced last year. The University of Sydney will receive more than $2 million over five years to investigate the relationship between environmental determinants of health in a cohort study which will involve 800 urban Indigenous families and approx. 2,000 children.
Heart disease and stroke kill 4 times more mothers than childbirth or HIV/AIDS in developing countries
Professor Stephen Leeder, School of Public health
Source: Medical News Today 20 May 2005
Professor Leeder says dangerously insufficient attention is being given to the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke by governments, industry and health authorities in developing countries. Prof. Leeder will be the keynote speaker at the World Heart Federation's sixth international conference on Preventive Cardiology in Brazil 21-25 May to drive policy change and stimulate action.
Road safety NSW double demerit point system
Professor Mark Stevenson, The George Institute for International Health
Source: Radio ABC - South Australia 'Morning Show' 19 May 2005
Interview with Professor Stevenson about road safety management and the NSW double demerit point system for drivers caught speeding.
The mentally ill in prisons and immigration detention centres
Professor Ian (Brian) Hickie, Discipline of Psychiatry - Brain Mind Research Institute
Source: Radio National 'AM' 19 May 2005
Interview with Prof. Ian Hickie about inquiry into mental health in Australia which will also look at the high presence of the mentally ill in prisons and immigration detention centres. Professor Hickie says the lack of adequate mental health resources means it is normally police who have to deal with mentally ill people. Also: ABC 666 Canberra.
Big brands clamber aboard GI bandwagon
Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, Dept of Biochemistry School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences
Source: Sydney Morning Herald 19 May 2005
Some of the biggest names in food production are putting their weight behind the latest badge in food marketing, the Glycemic Index, in the belief that it will be the most important sign of healthy eating. The bodies behind the GI scheme including the University of Sydney and Diabetes Australia predict that in the next 18 months the number of GI-badged products will treble. Says the endorsement of Sydney University where leading GI academic Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller (Human Nutrition) is based is important for consumers.
More on the Quit Smoking Vaccine
Ms Renee Bittoun, Department of Psychological Medicine
Source: ABC Darwin 'Afternoon' 17 May 2005
Interview with Renee Bittoun (Nicotine Addiction Unit) about the vaccine being developed for smokers to enable them to completely give up smoking after six months.
Returning to work with a Mental Illness
Professor Ian (Brian) Hickie, Discipline of Psychiatry - Brain Mind Research Institute
Source: Radio Nationa 'Breakfast' 16 May 2005
Interview with Professor Hickie about Federal Government plans to get people with a mental illness back into the workforce. Says fundamental change in the workplace is necessary to enable mentally ill people to work. Systems need to be in place not just to place them in a job but to support them in the job.
Quit Smoking Vaccine
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: The Australian 16 May 2005
Professor Chapman comments on a new vaccine that immunises smokers against nicotine addiction and first large human trial showed it helped addicts kick the habit. He warns that tobacco industry is developing nicotine analogues that may dodge the new vaccine.
Quit Smoking Vaccine
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: Radio ABC 774 Melbourne 16 May 2005
Professor Chapman comments on a new vaccine that immunises smokers against nicotine addiction and first large human trial showed it helped addicts kick the habit. He warns that tobacco industry is developing nicotine analogues that may dodge the new vaccine.
Stealthy ads will get past latest tobacco bans, says expert
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: Canberra Times 15 May 2005
Covert methods of cigarette advertising were still rampant and manufacturers would find their way around the latest wave of ACCC bans, tobacco control expert Professor Chapman (Medicine) has warned.
Worldwide recognition for work of lead team
Professor David Lyle, Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health
Source: Barrier Truth 13 May 2005
A team at the Broken Hill Department of rural health has been monitoring the levels of lead in children.
Labels on cigarette packets
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: ABC 702 (Sydney) 13 May 2005
Professor Simon Chapman talks about labels on cigarette packets.
Promising new treatment for heart failure
Professor Andrew Coats, Faculty of Medicine
Source: Sky Health News 9 May 2005
Interview with Professor Coats about promising new drug treatment for people who suffer from heart failure.
Pregnancy, alcohol and disability
Professor Elizabeth Elliott, Discipline of Paediatrics & Child Health, The Children's Hospital Westmead
Source: SA FM (Adelaide) 6 May 2005
Professor Elizabeth Ellis says that drinking alcohol whilst pregnant could lead to more cases of intellectual disability in children than first thought.
Research proves the danger of salt
Professor Roger Dampney, Discipline of Physiology
Source: UniNews 6 May 2005
Sydney University scientists have proved that salt has a dangerous adrenalin-inducing effect on people suffering from high blood pressure.
Raising the cost of bloodshed
Professor Philip Alpers, School of Public Health
Source: UniNews 6 May 2005
Professor Philip Alpers has been studying gun-related issues in the Pacific Region for more than three years with the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.
Experts call time on pregnant drinkers
Professor Elizabeth Elliott, Discipline of Paediatrics & Child Health, The Children's Hospital Westmead
Source: Sydney Morning Herald 6 May 2005
Professor Elliott says that drinking alcohol when pregnant may be responsible for more cases of intellectual delay in children than previously thought.
Caroline's Story
CIPHE and Professor Merrilyn Walton
Source: ABC 'Australian Story' 3 May 2005
Caroline's Story has been incorporated as major case study in the National Patient Safety Education Framework developed by CIPHE, the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Associate Professor Merrilyn Walton. This Patient Safety Framework was mentioned in Caroline's Story.
Delivery van: Kharlie's long drive to give birth
Professor Bruce Harris
Source: Sun-Herald 2 May 2005
Regarding the story of a young mother forced to travel 163 km to get to a regional hospital to give birth. Professor Bruce Harris (Medicine) said that Dubbo Hospital is the only one in western NSW that can deliver babies.
Minors buy cigarettes on internet
Professor Simon Chapman, School of Public Health
Source: Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Tasmanian 1 May 2005
Report says that minors can buy cheap cigarettes from an Australian company operating legally under a loophole in the Commonwealth Tobacco Act.