Tag Archives: transparency

Tamiflu: an expensive lesson in panic stockpiling

The removal of Tamiflu from the WHO “core medicines” list is an uncomfortable reminder of the $4 billion we spent stockpiling it during the 2009 swine flu. What on earth were we thinking? Continue reading

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Greater transparency on specialist fees: a no-brainer

Health consumers are too much in the dark when it comes to guessing fees for seeing medical specialists. Let’s shine a light. Continue reading

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Four Corners Big Vitamins exposé: cuts both ways

One ABC report examines ‘Big Vitamins’ marketing techniques, as another exposes Big Pharma. Same coin. Both sides need exposing. Continue reading

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Pharma targeting nurses for ‘education’

Big Pharma shifts focus onto nurses. It’s marketing money well spent. Continue reading

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Today Tonight: product promotion dressed as health news

Last Friday on the Seven Network’s Today Tonight (TT), an episode on arthritis featured respected GP Dr Robert Menz, who gave a very solid interview – warning about the over-use of opioid medications, and promoting exercise and weight loss. Dr … Continue reading

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Health consumers

To consume (v) I have always thought negatively of the word consume. I blame the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), whose first two definitions are; destroy or expend and; spend wastefully. The OED knows both interpretations all too well – no … Continue reading

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Pharma payments to doctors should be transparent

Back in the good old days, your good doctor could pop any commission from anybody into his left  pantaloons pocket, and nobody would question it. These days, the public quite reasonably expects higher standards of accountability. Some would argue that doctors should … Continue reading

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