Dementia

Health & Wellness

Did you know that dementia is not a single condition or disease and the symptoms of dementia can be caused by over 100 different disorders that affect the brain?

According to Alzheimer’s Australia, dementia describes a collection of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease. Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with the person’s normal social or working life.

The most common causes of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. Dementia may also be associated with other conditions including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, alcohol abuse, AIDS and Down’s syndrome. Dementia affects different people in different ways depending on the type of dementia they have and the area of the brain that is damaged. Read More >

Kidney Health

Health & Wellness

Did you know it is possible for a person to lose up to 90% of their kidney function before experiencing any symptoms of kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing public health problem. Approximately 1 in 10 Australians aged 18 and over have evidence of CKD. In CKD, the kidneys slowly stop working over a period of months or years. The kidneys have many important functions in the body, including filtering the blood and adding excess water to other wastes to produce urine. The kidneys also produce and regulate several hormones that are important for heart, blood and bone health. People with CKD are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, as well as anaemia and bone disease. Read More >

Facts and Fallacies about Generic Medicines

Health & Wellness

Generic medicines have been available in Australia for 40 years, and widely supplied through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for over 20 years, delivering the same health benefits as the original brands at a lower cost to government and the community. Through monitoring generic medicine use over this time, their role as safe & effective treatment options has been confirmed.

The following statements about generic medicines are TRUE

• A generic medicine is simply another brand, which contains the same active ingredient as the original brand, and which is accepted to work in the same way. Therefore generic medicine is the same quality as the original brand, and meets the TGA standards of safety and performance equivalence to the original brand.
• A generic medicine is subject to much greater government scrutiny compared to other “generic” or home brand consumer products that you buy at the supermarket. All medicines sold in Australia, whether a generic medicine or original brand, must meet the same tough quality standards set by a government agency called the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The role of the TGA is to evaluate and verify that all prescription medicines provide an appropriate safety and performance profile. Read More >