Author: Cecilia Lim

Jewel of South Australian Viral Hepatitis Services

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Kim had just started on the new hepatitis C treatment and things seemed to be going well until he realised he was unable to get his new supply of tablets because he forgot to give his local pharmacist sufficient notice.

His script could not be filled by the time he needed it. This break, early in his treatment, could affect the outcome. In desperation, he told his viral hepatitis nurse of his predicament. The nurses organised a supply and dropped it off to him on a weekend.

The nurses say this is something they can’t do on a regular basis, but it is one example of how this team of dedicated South Australian nurses go out of their way to support the people they are caring for, to ensure the best outcomes.

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Hepatitis B Community Education Projects in South Australia

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Hepatitis B community education projects are rolling out around Australia with four in full swing in South Australia.

First off the rank in SA was a project with the Filipino community which Hepatitis SA is carrying out in partnership with the Filipino Settlement Coordinating Council of South Australia (FSCCSA).

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Hepatitis SA Educators Make It Simple as ABC

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One of the most common misconceptions about hepatitis B and C is that they are transmitted through saliva and sharing food. One of the most commonly asked questions is whether hepatitis is the same as HIV. And many people mistakenly think there is a vaccination for hepatitis C.

These are just some of the many issues Hepatitis SA educators help to clarify in their information and training sessions.

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New Improved Hepatitis B Medicine to be Considered for PBS

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As Australians with hepatitis C are being cured at unprecedented rates, there is promise of a better medicine for those living with chronic hepatitis B who need treatment.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) will, in March, consider for recommendation, a new medicine which promises the same efficacy as current drugs but with less toxic side effects.

The current medicine, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), is effective in suppressing the hepatitis B virus but is also linked to bone density loss and renal dysfunction in some patients. This is due to the high level of tenofovir circulating in the body.

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AIVL Applauds Greens’ New Drug Policy

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The national organisation representing people who use drugs, AIVL has applauded the Australian Greens’ courageous leadership in adopting an evidence-based drug policy that focuses on saving lives.

The Australian Greens holistic policy on Drugs, Substance Abuse and Addition encompasses not just illicit drugs but also tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceuticals. The policy, in a nutshell, adopts a harm-minimisation approach that addresses addiction as a health issue with treatments covered by Medicare.

There are 14 principles on issues including harm minimisation, evidence-base approach, alcohol, tobacco, access to services, education and Aboriginal control of responses to the drug use issues in their communities.

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Saliva, Cricket and Viral Diseases – Hysteria Resurfaces

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Misinformation has reared its ugly head again as South Australians waded into the debate over the Du Plessis ball tampering drama.

The South African cricket captain’s controversial habit of polishing the ball with his saliva earned him a fine, and raised a storm of letters to The Advertiser. Among them was one titled “Dirty Saliva”, from Robert McRitchie, which proclaimed dramatically, and wrongly, that “SALIVA is a perfect medium for transmission of infectious viral diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C, just to name two.”

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