Adalimumab is used to treat a range of dermatological, rheumatological, gastrointestinal and ophthalmologic conditions. From 1 March, Amgevita (an adalimumab biosimilar) is funded under Special Authority. From this date, patients starting treatment with adalimumab will receive Amgevita rather than the reference product, Humira.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 35 per cent of mortality in 2019. Yet it’s preventable and treatable. Māori, Pacific, and South Asian peoples have a disproportionately higher CVD risk compared with people not of these ethnicities. Therefore, CVD risk assessments in these ethnicities should begin earlier.
Prescribers are instrumental in framing a medicine positively or negatively, setting patient expectations. Optimising these expectations during a short consult can enhance and sustain benefits. Conversely, highlighting negative information may lead to increased experience, and reporting, of adverse events, and to poor adherence.
The jury is in – usual gout care isn’t working well, especially for Māori and Pacific peoples, who are disproportionately affected by this common disorder.
What potential tools are readily available to reduce gout harm? Specific clinician actions!
Read the bulletin to find out more.
Biological medicines have markedly changed prognoses for many conditions such as cancers, diabetes and autoimmune diseases.
As biologics’ patents expire, biosimilars – highly similar versions of approved biologic brands – will be competitively marketed. This will lead to cost savings, increased access and treatment options, and improved patient outcomes.
Read the HAH Bulletin to find out more.
When initiating either empagliflozin or dulaglutide, the newly funded second-line type 2 diabetes agents,1 choice is based primarily on predominant comorbidities, clinical features and tolerability.
Administration route is an additional factor; dulaglutide is a once-weekly, subcutaneous injection and empagliflozin is a daily tablet. Patient factors are also important, and the contraindications and adverse effects profiles differ.
Read the HAH Bulletin (updated July 2022) to find out more.
Prescribers wanting to block angiotensin II effects can consider the remaining funded ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers. ACE inhibitors and ARBs are similarly effective for hypertension, chronic renal disease and diabetic nephropathy, but ARBs are better tolerated. ACE inhibitors are preferred over ARBs first-line for heart failure and post myocardial infarction.
Read the HAH Bulletin to find out more.
Cultural competence vs safety – related, but different
A culturally competent practitioner knows about the beliefs and behaviours of patients from different cultures, and has the skill to apply this knowledge to healthcare delivery.
Read the HAH Bulletin to find out more.
Compliance, adherence, concordance – confused?
Whatever terminology is used, studies show that differences in health literacy, medicines access, attitudes to health and prescriber perceptions, may contribute to sub-optimal use of medicines and poor health outcomes.
Read the HAH Bulletin to find out about strategies to improve medicine access and supply.
Medicine affordability is one of the five drivers of medicine access equity.
Up to 40 per cent of people continue to pay prescription copayments even though they are entitled to an exemption. No person or family should pay more than $100 per annum for subsidised medicines.