Letters

Screening with cultures from rectal swabs before prostate biopsy is not indicated

George Mirmilstein MB BS(Hons) · John Ferguson DTM

Gastroduodenal tuberculosis is rare and is often misdiagnosed as peptic ulcer disease

Rekha Pai Mangalore MB BS · Vivian Liang MB BS · Kalyani Tharmarajah MB BS, BMedSci

Evidence of value in screening for TB, strongyloidiasis and schistosomiasis in this population

Greta A Gurry · Claire Dendle MB BS, FRACP, GCHPE · Ian J Woolley FRACP, MD, DTMH

Although associated with lifelong risk, overwhelming post-splenectomy infection is preventable

Ravindra Dotel MB BS · Iain B Gosbell FRACP, FRCPA, FASM · Ann Hofmeyr MB ChB, FRACP, FRCPA

We have a duty to consider the health impacts of climate change

Colin D Butler BMed, MSc(Epidemiol), PhD · Peter W Tait MB BS, FRACGP, MClimChng

It is time to implement a clinical risk management system in general practices

Anish M Philip BPharm(Hons), GradCertPP

In reply: A new patient safety collaborative manual should help with capturing, analysing and preventing harm in general practice

Amr Abou Elnour MB BCh, PhD, GradDipPHC · Dale Ford MB BS, FRACGP, FACRRM · James A Dunbar MD, FRCPEdin, FRCGP

Medication reviews and multidisciplinary input prevent harm

Lisa Kouladjian BMedSc(Hons), MPharm, AACPA · Timothy F Chen PhD, DipHPharm, BPharm · Sarah N Hilmer MB BS(Hons), FRACP, PhD

Consumers can play a major part in antimicrobial stewardship

Georgina Kilroy BPharm, GradDipClinPharm

In reply: Our focus was the providers’ perspectives, but we acknowledge the importance of the consumer alongside

Ching Jou Lim BPharm(Hons), PhD · Megan W-L Kwong MB BS, BMedSci · David C M Kong PhD, BPharm, MPharm

General practice needs to be the pivot in the national screening program

Oliver R Frank PhD, FRACGP, FACHI · Nigel P Stocks DipPH, MD, FRACGP

There are few useful indications for groin ultrasounds

David Phillips MB BS, FRCS, FRACS

A case of irreversible vision loss resulting from insertion of cosmetic colour iris implants

Dominic McCall MB BS, BSc · Alex Hamilton BMed, MPHTM · John Grigg MD, FRANZCO, FRACS · Son Chau-Vo MB BS(Hons), FRANZCO

A more flexible approach than that currently mandated by the PBS is recommended

Craig Gedye MB ChB, FRACP, PhD · Frances M Boyle MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Drug company marketing strategies are not benign

Elizabeth Ann Sturgiss FRACGP, FFCFM(RCPA), MPH · Kirsty Douglas MD, FRACGP, DipRACOG · Stephen Craig Trumble MD, FRACGP, DipRACOG

Adverse effects of medication and therapeutic failure are possibilities in patients who are fasting

Gina McLachlan BPharm, MClinPharm · The-Phung To BPharm, MClinPharm

International consensus in treatment for gestational diabetes is the way forward

Leonie K Callaway FRACP, PhD, GCELead · Aidan McElduff FRACP, FRACP, PhD

New criteria will increase the prevalence of gestational diabetes but will improve obstetric outcomes

Anna S Y Zheng MB BS · Tony O’Leary FCII, FAMS, Fellow(ALUCA) · Robert G Moses MD, FRACP, MSc(Hons)

Existing data can be used to improve the diagnosis of gestational diabetes

Michael C d’Emden MD, PhD, FRACP

Acknowledging the role of general physicians

Nicholas D Buckmaster MB BS, FRACP · Mark Forbes MB ChB, FCP(SA), FRACP

Surveying general physicians would be valuable

Ben White LLB(Hons), DPhil · Lindy Willmott BCom LLB, LLM, PhD · Colleen Cartwright PhD, MPH, BSW(Hons) · Malcolm H Parker MB BS, MHMedLaw, MD · Gail Williams MSc, MSc(Lond), PhD

Implementing EOL care policies in prisons

Megan Kendall MB BS, BSc, BAppSc(Hons) · Luke Streitberg MB BS, MFM · Michael H Levy MB BS, MPH, FAFPHM

Accentuate the positive

Diana Egerton-Warburton FACEM, MPH, MClinEpi

The benefits of sentinel lymph node biopsy are unproven

Samuel S Zagarella MB BS(Hons), FACD · Michael Sladden MB ChB, MRCP, FACD · Catalin Popescu MD, PhD · Michael Bigby MD