News from Australia

Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) President said:
Long COVID must be taken seriously. Boosting Medicare rebates to facilitate longer GP consults would be particularly beneficial for patients with this complex condition. Let’s make that happen, long COVID is affecting people from all walks of life. #LongCovid
Click to expand...


I can't help to notice that every time Long Covid is mentioned by anyone in a position of authority in general practice, it always takes second fiddle to promoting general practice, demanding more money and generally being all about their work, never the patients. And of course they do nothing for the patients, it's always someone else's job, even though they know it's no one's responsibility so nothing ever happens. Longer consults aren't useful if there are no tests, tools or treatments. This is the difference between working hard and working smart, and I don't see any smart anywhere in sight.

How exactly will LC be taken seriously when the people in charge of things either stay silent, only do virtue signaling or use it as an opportunity to promote their work? Who is going to do that? Of course total silence on any details, this is like a political platform boasting this and that without a plan, and keeping onto the vague aspirational campaign stuff during their actual official work.
 
Moved post

St Vincent’s has now found funding that will last until the end of March, but without funding certainty, it cannot employ any of the physiotherapists or psychologists the clinic needs.

Needs?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Health Committee to hear from long COVID patients and hold roundtable with experts
Issue date: Wednesday, 15 February 2023

The House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will hear from Australians living with long COVID and other post-viral illness at a public hearing on 17 February 2023 at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Chair of the Committee, Dr Mike Freelander MP, said: ‘Listening to Australians living with long COVID about their experiences, journey to diagnosis and treatment is a key role of this inquiry.

The Committee appreciates the time taken by many people with long COVID who wrote to us to share how the condition has deeply impacted many aspects of their lives. Our next public hearing will unpack some of the issues raised in these submissions in more detail so we can consider how to better support long COVID patients now and in the future.’

The Committee will also hear from the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (NACCHO) and a roundtable of experts jointly organised by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Mrs Melissa McIntosh MP, stated: ‘The roundtable convened by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences will bring together experts in areas such as infectious diseases, epidemiology, immunology, mental health and public health. This is a great opportunity for the Committee to hear from individuals at the forefront of COVID research and treatment.’

The Committee will hear from the Department of Health and Aged Care about what the Government is doing to respond to the new challenges for Australia’s healthcare system presented by long COVID and repeated COVID infections and is also looking forward to hearing from NACCHO with its valuable insights into the primary care response to COVID-19 in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Further information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference and published submissions are available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details
Date: Friday, 17 February 2023
Time: 8.00am – 5.00pm AEDT
Location: Committee Room 1R3 (until 12.10pm) and 2R1 (from 1.00pm), Parliament House, Canberra
Click to expand...
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parlia...VID_patients_and_hold_roundtable_with_experts
 
Long Covid causing job losses and homelessness in Australia, inquiry hears
The federal government is developing a national long Covid strategy, with a parliamentary inquiry hearing the condition has resulted in job losses and homelessness among some sufferers.

The chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, said the federal health department had been tasked with developing a national long Covid strategy that would cover prevention, immunisation, treatment and research into the condition.

“That is well under way,” Kelly said at a public hearing on Friday, although he went on to say the strategy would probably not be finalised until after the health department had received advice following the parliamentary inquiry into long Covid and repeated Covid infections.

Speaking at the inquiry’s third public hearing on Friday, Labor MP Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah said, “I think we’re going to probably land on a recommendation that we obviously need national guidelines … and perhaps living guidelines that keep evolving as the data keeps coming in.”
Click to expand...
Penelope McMillan, a spokesperson for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Australia, said she was not surprised by the testimony of people with long Covid.

“People with post viral illness – we’re not new. This is not new. I’ve had ME/CFS for 25 years, and the stories are so familiar.”
Click to expand...
https://www.theguardian.com/austral...s-and-homelessness-in-australia-inquiry-hears
 
Port Lincoln family left with no option but to stay and defend as flames approached home

When Lynne Harris could see the flames of the Port Lincoln bushfire out of the window of her family home, she feared her worst nightmare was coming true.

"Leaving in a bushfire isn't an option for us," Ms Harris said.

"We have a disabled, bed-bound son … he is unable to move or be moved, so we always knew we would have to stay and defend."
Click to expand...

Ms Harris's Dan has severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, which is also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

"It's a really benign-sounding name for a horrendously debilitating condition," she said.

"It's neurological. It affects all of his systems. He cannot tolerate any external stimuli, no light, no sound, no touch, no smell."

In the coming days, Ms Harris said, Dan was expected to suffer from "post-exertional malaise" due to all of the noise and smell from the fire, which would exacerbate his symptoms.

"He will be really, really unwell and his functional baseline will be even lower," she said.
Click to expand...
 
I haven't tried to access this but thought someone should
Ausdoc
A GP guide to paediatric ME/CFS
The GP has a key role in delivery of holistic care to children and families affected by myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
dr_sarah_knight.png
Dr Sarah Knight
Dr_Elisha_Josev-1.png
Dr Elisha Josev
aprof_adam_scheinberg.png
Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg
dr_colette_reveley.png
Dr Colette Reveley
dr_fiona_mcdonald.png
Dr Fiona McDonald
dr_sabine_hennel.png
Dr Sabine Hennel
tracey_chau.png
Tracey Chau
0
25 February 2023
Click to expand...
https://www.ausdoc.com.au/therapy-update/a-gp-guide-to-paediatric-me-cfs/
 
Last edited:
Griffith Uni have received a large private grant. Part of which will be used to trial LDN in ME/CFS and LC:

Largest medical research grant to help ME/CFS and Long COVID research

Griffith University’s research into the potential overlap between Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has received a major boost thanks to a $6.4 million grant from the Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation.

Chief Investigator Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik said: “We are thrilled with this successful outcome as this grant provides the foundation to further our novel scientific discoveries of the pathology of ME/CFS as well as now explore the potential similarities with Long COVID.”

“The research funding also provides for a clinical trial using identified pharmacotherapeutic targets and the registered drug, low dose naltrexone (LDN), to be used in a clinical trial for both ME/CFS and Long COVID patients.
Click to expand...
 
The Griffith team seem to be particularly good at getting research funding. I hope with that amount of money they run a really high quality double blind trial with useful outcome measures and for long enough duration. From what some people report with LDN they will probably need to try different dosage regines too.
 
The devil will be in the details. But on the face of it this looks quite promising. They seem to have understood this is not well understood yet, needs a multi-factor approach, with long-term commitment, the involvement of all relevant parties, and the relevance of ME to it all.

Parliamentary Report on Long Covid
  • establishing a better COVID and long COVID data collection system
  • reviewing antiviral eligibility
  • providing more support and education for GPs to treat long COVID
  • developing evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment
  • funding state health departments to set up long COVID clinics at public hospitals
  • setting up an expert panel to advise on the impact of poor indoor air quality and ventilation on the economy
  • funding more research into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
  • a national summit into Australia's response to COVID, including long COVID
_________________

This post has been copied and further posts about the report moved to this thread:
Australia: 2022 Parliamentary inquiry into Long Covid and repeated covid infections - report issued April 2023
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom