PHRP in the news

Hesitance on psychedelics in weeks before approval

Conducted in the weeks before the TGA green-lit psychedelics for mental illness, a new study puts into perspective just how shocking the decision was. Read the article in the Medical Republic and read the full study.

Medical Republic

Psychedelic treatment in mental health lacks evidence, Australian experts say

Evidence to support the widespread use of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions such as depression is lacking, according to politicians and representatives of peak health bodies interviewed for a research paper published on Wednesday. See the full story in The Guardian, or read the full research paper.

The Guardian

Study proves air filters help deal with bushfire smoke

Some portable filters can significantly boost indoor air quality when bushfires break out, a study has found. Those with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can improve air quality by 30 to 74 per cent if used appropriately, CSIRO scientists say. Read the full story in the Newcastle Herald, and the full paper here.

AAP & Newcastle Herald

We worked out how many tobacco lobbyists end up in government, and vice versa. It’s a lot

We’ve just revealed the extent of the close relationship between tobacco lobbyists and government, in the first Australian study of its kind. Read the full article by Professor Becky Freeman and Dr Christina Watts in The Conversation, and see their research paper here.

The Conversation

Almost half of tobacco lobbyists in Australia have held positions in government, study finds

Understanding the links between tobacco companies, their lobbyists and Australian politics “was like doing a complex, 5,000-piece jigsaw with many missing or blank pieces”, Cancer Council NSW researcher Melissa Jones says. Read the full paper in The Guardian and the full research paper.

The Guardian

Experts raise alarm on cosmetic NIR procedures

Greater awareness is needed on the dangers associated with cosmetic procedures involving non-ionising radiation given the major gaps in regulation around Australia, scientists are warning. Read the story in The Limbic and read the full paper.

The Limbic

‘Ban sales’ of non-prescribed e-cigarettes

All vaping products, except those prescribed to adults by a doctor, should be banned from retail sale in Australia because current regulation just isn’t working, according to a University of Sydney expert. Read the full story in Medical Republic and read the full paper.

Medical Republic

Tobacco control expert calls for Australia to ban vaping products

One of Australia’s top tobacco control experts has called for an immediate ban on vaping products after a new study into the phenomenon. Associate Professor Becky Freeman of the University of Sydney made the suggestion in a paper published in Public Health Research and Practice, a peer-reviewed journal of the Sax Institute. Read the story […]

news.com.au

Improved analysis reveals higher rates of self-harm

NSW has a clearer picture of how often people self-harm after a new technique tracked down 140 per cent more suicide-related hospital presentations. While standard diagnostic codes used by doctors showed about 21,000 cases from 2016 to 2020, Grant Sara and his team suspected that was a gross underestimate. Read the article in The Canberra […]

The Canberra Times

1 in 3 GPs offer HPV screening outside guidelines, study shows

One third of GPs are ignoring HPV screening guidelines, admitting they screen women as often as they request, a survey shows. As cervical screening experts continue to warn about the number of eligible women overdue for testing, the survey of 600 GPs and obstetrician-gynaecologists suggests that testing outside guidelines is common. Read the article in […]

Australian Doctor