Volume 204 Issue 8

Neurosurgical training should formally incorporate chronic pain management

Peter J Teddy DPhil, FRACS, FFPMANZCA

The physician should focus on what can be done, not on what cannot

Ian Maddocks MD, FRACP, FAChPM

Quality indicators can provide reassurance that cancer care is achieving the predicted outcomes

Paul S Craft MB BS, FRACP, MPH

A million Australians at high risk may not be receiving recommended preventive treatments

Clara K Chow MB BS, FRACP, PhD · Anthony Rodgers MB ChB, PhD

A recent crop of Cochrane reviews shows mixed results

Steve McDonald · Tari Turner

Discarding patients’ cancer samples because of problems with consent processes forgoes potential advances in cancer research, ignores public intent and squanders unique bioresources

Craig Gedye MB ChB, FRACP, PhD · Jennifer Fleming BA, MHA, PhD

Spinal surgery for chronic low back pain is controversial, and the disproportionate number of fusions in private hospitals is unexplained

Leigh Atkinson FACS, FRCS, FAFRM · Andrew Zacest MB BS, FRACS, FFPMANZCA

Despite its image as a dangerous sport, serious kitesurfing accidents seem uncommon

Steven JG Leeuwerke MSc · Manimaran Sinnathamby MB BS, MSurg · René Zellweger MD, FRACS, FACS

Ladder-related injury imposes a significant burden on the health system

Jenny Miu PhD, MPH · Michael M Dinh MB BS, MPH · Kate Curtis RN, PhD · Zsolt J Balogh MD, PhD, FRACS

Children at risk of developing type 2 diabetes need early diagnosis and screening for diabetes-related complications

Aveni Haynes MB BChir, PhD · Rachelle Kalic BPsych, MAppEc · Matthew Cooper BSc · Jacqueline K Hewitt MB BS, FRACP · Elizabeth Ann Davis Paediatric Endocrinologist

Careful clinical selection of patients can help optimise the evidence-based use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain

David C Currow PhD, FRACP, FAHMS · Jane Phillips PhD · Katherine Clark MMed, FRACP, FAChPM

Major changes are occurring in breast surgery to help improve quality-of-life outcomes for women who survive breast cancer

Andrew J Spillane MD, FRACS

The increase in evidence over the past 15 years in acute pain management is impressive

Stephan A Schug MD, FANZCA, FPMANZCA · Greta M Palmer MB BS, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA · David A Scott PhD, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA · Richard Halliwell MB BS, FANZCA · Jane Trinca MM(Pain Management), FANZCA, FPPMANZCA

Despite a broad conceptual consensus, there is variability in how the concept is applied in clinical decision making

Ben White LLB(Hons), DPhil · Lindy Willmott LLB, LLM, PhD · Eliana Close BSc(Hons), BA(Hons) · Nicole Shepherd BSc, BSocSci(Hons) · Cindy Gallois PhD, MA, BSL · Malcolm H Parker MB BS, MHlthMedLaw, MD · Sarah Winch BA(Hons), PhD · Nicholas Graves PhD · Leonie K Callaway MB BS(Hons), FRACP, PhD

The performance of the Victorian health system has improved according to three processes of care indicators

Fanny Sampurno BA, BSci(Hons) · Arul Earnest PhD, MSc, BSocSc(Hons) · Patabendi B Kumari MB BS, MSc, MD · Jeremy L Millar MB ChB, FRANZCR, FAChPM · Ian D Davis MB BS(Hons), PhD, FRACP · Declan G Murphy FRCS(Urol) · Mark Frydenberg MB BS, FRACS · Paul A Kearns MB BS, FRACS(Urol) · Sue M Evans PhD, MClinEpi

An estimated 970 000 Australians may not be receiving recommended combination blood pressure- and lipid-lowering therapy

Emily Banks MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · Simon R Crouch MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · Rosemary J Korda PhD · Bill Stavreski BEcon, MPPM · Karen Page RN, MNursStud, BEd · Katherine A Thurber MPhil · Robert Grenfell MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM

An outstanding surgeon and an exceptional Australian

John H Pearn AO, MD, FRACP

In a rusty diner in Tuskegee …

Viktor Oskarsson MD

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The medicine of flight and space travel is a burgeoning field filled with exciting prospects

Cate Swannell

The Australian Government has named the eight-member Australian Medical Research Advisory Board, which will advise on how funds from the Medical Research Future Fund will be distributed. Professor Ian Frazer, co-developer of the human papillomavirus vaccine, has been appointed chairman of the Board, which will “develop the Australian Medical Research and Innovation Strategy every 5 years, and associated Australian Medical Research and Innovation Priorities every 2 years, according to an Australian Government press release. The Advisory Board will shortly begin a consultation to “distil the right strategic direction and priorities recommended for investment”. Professor Frazer was immediate past Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director of Research of the Translational Research Institute. He is now Chair of the Translation Research Institute Foundation Board. He is President of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Science and member of the Commonwealth Science Council. He is also Chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Medical Research Advisory Committee. Other members of the board are: Professor Peter Høj, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Queensland. Before this, he was Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of South Australia; CEO of the Australian Research Council; and Managing Director of the Australian Wine Research Institute. Professor Doug Hilton is president of The Association of Australian Medical Research Institute, Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and Head of the Department of Medical Biology at The University of Melbourne. Throughout his career, Professor Hilton has been actively involved in the application of research through collaboration with industry and is an inventor on more than 20 patent families. Professor Karen Reynolds is Director of the Medical Device Research Institute and the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), as well as Deputy Dean of the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics at Flinders University. She established the MDPP to convene researchers, industry and end users of medical technologies, resulting in novel devices that improve diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. Dr Deborah Rathjen is the Managing Director of Bionomics Corporation, based in Thebarton, Adelaide. She began with a virtual company which has turned Bionomics into a notable Biotechnology/Biomedical firm with a $200 million market capitalisation. Her role in developing cancer treating drugs and other medications is a large contribution to Bionomics’ current success in the biotechnology market. Mr Yasser El-Ansary is the Chief Executive of the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association where he is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the organisation’s work in representing the private equity and venture capital industry in Australia. He has almost 20 years’ experience as a business adviser and public policy expert, through his previous roles with PwC, Rio Tinto, Australand Property Group, as well as the Department of Treasury in Canberra. Ms Jennifer Williams is the previous Chief Executive of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. Ms Williams has previously held the positions of Chief Executive Alfred Health, Chief Executive Austin Health, Director in the Department of Human Services (Victorian Government) and other senior management positions in the public and private sectors. Professor Anne Kelso, AO, is CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The CEO of the NRMRC will have a permanent seat on the Advisory Board to support coordination of approaches. With the exception of the CEO of the NHMRC, members are appointed for a period of up to 5 years.

Cate Swannell

This calendar will be updated each month. If you have an event you would like to add, please include relevant details in an email to cswannell@mja.com.au

Cate Swannell