Monthly media digest: April/May 2024
15 May 2024
A digest of college news coverage for April/May 2024
ANZCA president Prof David Story interviewed about Ozempic
Professor Story was interviewed for a 15 May page 3 article in the Australian Financial Review (paywalled) about patient risks of using Ozempic before surgery.
Prof Story says using weight-loss drugs can increase the risk of aspiration in surgery.
The article reached a combined print and online audience of 350,000 people.
ASM: Anaesthesia and pregnancy
We sent out a media release on Dr Rosie Zacher's study into the return to work experiences of anaesthetists after pregnancy.
ASM: Women needed in medical research to prevent gender bias
Professor Kate Leslie featured in an AAP article on gender bias in medical research on 6 May. The article was syndicated to nearly 80 online news outlets including the Canberra Times, Daily Mail Australia, the Border Mail, The Illawarra Mercury, the Ballarat Courier, the Newcastle Herald, the Warrnambool Standard and the Tasmanian Examiner.
ASM: Two new leaders for ANZCA and FPM
A media release announcing ANZCA and FPM's new leadership was sent out on 6 May.
ASM: Having your tonsils out could soon become a lot less painful
Associate Professor Paul Lee-Archer’s Monday presentation on tonsillectomies has been reported online and in print editions of the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Adelaide Advertiser and Courier Mail on 5 and 6 May. Herald Sun medical editor Robyn Riley interviewed A/Prof Lee-Archer for the paywalled article “Anaesthetists wants tonsillectomy study to take pain out of surgery” . The article was syndicated online to the Courier Mail, the Daily Telegraph, the Northern Territory News, Adelaide Now, the Cairns Post and the Gold Coast Bulletin.
A/Prof Archer was also interviewed by Channel Ten news in Brisbane and featured in a 10 minute segment on ABC Radio Sydney's Drive program with host Richard Glover on 6 May (the segment starts at 20:38) and an interview with ABC Radio Adelaide's Afternoons program on 7 May.
ASM: Gaps in pelvic pain treatments highlighted
The 5 May media release highlighted presenter Amelia Mardon’s afternoon session on pelvic pain. The AAP article “Pelvic pain treatments ‘outdated' anaesthetists told” was syndicated to more than 70 online news outlets including the Canberra Times, The Ballarat Courier, the Newcastle Herald, the Bendigo Advertiser, the Border Mail, the Illawarra Mercury and Yahoo! New Zealand. It also fetaured in print editions of the Newcastle Herald and Canberra Times on 6 May.
ASM: Anxiety clinic calms kids before medical procedures
ANZCA distributed a media release on 4 May previewing Queensland fellow Dr Alexandra Donaldson's presentation about anxious child patients and her patient anxiety clinic at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
The Australian Associated Press syndicated the article about Dr Donaldson’s presentation by journalist Deborah Cornwall “Anxiety clinic calms kids before medical procedures” to nearly 50 online news sites including Perth Now, the Tasmanian Examiner, Yahoo! News Australia and the Burnie Advocate.
ASM: Sleep could hold secret to recovery from serious injury
Australian Associated Press journalist Deborah Cornwall reported on two FPM symposium presentations in an article “Sleep could hold secret to recovery from serious injury” that was syndicated by the agency to more than 80 online news sites across Australia and New Zealand on 3 May including The Canberra Times, the Bendigo Advertiser, the West Australian, Daily Mail Australia, The Newcastle Herald, The Illawarra Mercury and Yahoo NZ.
The presentations were featured in two FPM media releases from the symposium's “Improving function’’ session − “Can diet help chronic pain?” based on the session by physiotherapist Dr Rowena Field on diet and chronic pain and “Getting a good night’s sleep could help prevent chronic pain” featuring pain scientist Dr David Klyne.
FPM fellow Professor Steven Faux discusses long COVID
Professor Faux, Director of Pain Medicine at St Vincent's hospital in Sydney, featured in a 3700 word article about long COVID in
The Weekend Australian on 20 April.
Professor Faux's book, "Long COVID: expert advice, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery" is released in early May.
The article noted that: "Many studies have found that long Covid affects the brain, and it’s a key part of the rehabilitation program at the St Vincent’s clinic – even though Professor Faux admits the medical profession is at a loss to explain what causes the fog."
FPM Vice-Dean interviewed on ABC radio
Dr Dilip Kapur was interviewed for a 10 minute segment on ABC Radio Adelaide's Afternoon program about the faculty's call for a national pain device implant registry. The interview starts at 1:26:30.
The interview was a follow up to the faculty's 9 April media release that was issued following an ABC Four Corners broadcast on 8 April about pain implant devices and spinal fusion.