Herceptin: Hype in the Sickness Industry

29/08/2006

The recent decision taken by the federal government to subsidize the breast cancer drug Herceptin lacks justification, according to Helen Lobato. The Federal Government Health Minister Tony Abbott agreed to list Herceptin on the Pharmacuetical Benefit Scheme, with treatments costing $50,000 a year with a cost to the taxpayer of $400 million over four years. "What we really have is a sickness industry." said Lobato

Her statement says that Pharmaceutical companies supply exorbitant drugs that have billions of dollars in earning potential. The new drug is heavily promoted by compliant doctors and media. Dr. Marcia Angell, the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine has said "It's really exploiting the desperation of people with a life-threatening illness." [Full Story]

New Scientist | Exploiting Cancer Patients With $10,000-a- Month Drugs

Tougher Marijuana Laws tied to Mental Health Funding?

06/02/2006

Mental health funding under a Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) agreement chould be tied to tougher marijuana laws, if a suggestion by Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, Christopher Pyne is adopted. Network Against Prohibition says there is simply not enough evidence linking marijuana consumption to mental illness. "Mr Pyne is mistaken when he states that the link is 'clearly proven'." the NAP statement said. [Full Story]

A 2002 New Scientist article says that a Cannabis link to mental illness is strengthened by medical research, although a 2005 article says the link between Cannabis and schizophrenia is hazier than thought.

Leon Carter, in his article Kannabis: in the Pursuit of Health and Happiness which presents much evidence of the health benefits of cannabis, declares "The Australian government does not own my body. I therefore refuse to recognize any legislation designed to A) control my intake of psychoactive molecules, B) thwart my pursuit of happiness, and/or C) protect black markets from competition. The following is a compendium of good reasons to sue the Australian government for harm caused by irrational legislation that does not in any way reflect the wishes or the interests of the people:"

www.napnt.org | Hemp Embassy | New Scientist on Cannabis | www.jackherer.com

Surgical abortion is legal, why not medical abortion?

31/01/2006

Dr Edith Weisberg, AM, a leading medical researcher in reproductive health, has expressed concern at the level of misinformation and emotive aguments against the use of RU486 for medical abortion. The Senate inquiry has received a record number of submissions regarding the ban on RU486. Pro-life campaigners have been active in an emotive campaign against lifting the restrictions. [Full Story]

Getup! Get Politics out of Medicine | RU486: Women, not politicians, should choose
Children by Choice | Reproductive Choice Australia

Medicare primary election focus

06/10/2004

At the 8th Defend and Extend Medicare Rally in Melbourne Dr Tim Woodruff from the Doctors Reform Society was scathing in reference to Health Minister Tony Abbott's comments on health as a market place, where doctors should be free to charge what they like, and the patient must expect to have to pay. He regretted that John Howard could not bring himself to be as honest as his deputy, John Anderson, who let it slip recently that 'what we really want is a 2-tiered health system'.

Groups such as the Victorian Medicare Action Group and Defend and Extend Medicare have played an important role in initiating community debate, and protest on the Howard Governments neglect of Medicare. The Grassroots campaign has helped to make Medicare a primary election focus. Defend and Extend Medicare continues to push that access to health care is a right and should be enshrined in the constitution through a referendum at the next election.

[John Howard's vision for Medicare | John Howard's Medicare Lies]

Federal health minister Tony Abbott exposed as a liar

03/10/2004

ABC TV's Lateline program, on Thursday 30 September (full transcript), revealed how John Howard's hatchetman, Tony Abbott, had conspired with Catholic cardinal George Pell to undermine the Labor Party's federal election campaign. Abbott tried to deny this but the program exposed him as a liar. [Full Story]

As the Health debate hots up, can you really believe anything that Tony Abbott or John Hpward says about Medicare Gold? Would you trust a liar to be in charge of a multi-billion dollar budget of public funds? Would you trust his word and Howard's on Medicare?

Supporters of Medicare are rallying on Monday at 12.30pm outside the State Library to Defend and Extend Medicare.

[Discuss | Defend and Extend Medicare | defendmedicare.info]

Medicare Safety Net favours the rich and wealthy

20/09/2004

There is a huge blow-out in Howard's Medicare safety net, and the safety net overwhelmingly favours Liberal electorates with the rich cashing in on the safety net. In other health news: Professor John Deeble, Medicare architect, slamed the bidding for doctors as bad for Medicare. In at least 4 instances, (Wills, Deakin, Bowman and Brisbane electorates) local liberal candidates are refusing to debate on Medicare and health? Why? [Full Story | Medicare under the spotlight in Wills]

Update: Dr Peter Hunter from the Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine has warned against private health insurance for elderly patients, with neither the Coalition or Labor Party committed to ending the private health insurance rebate.

[Defend and Extend Medicare | defendmedicare.info]

Howards's hypocrisy on managing Health

13/09/2004

Howard's $1.8billion package was largely seen as a pay rise for doctors, contributing little to stabilising or encouraging bulk billing or improving GP service. Howard's financial management of Health has been questioned and his hypocrisy in increasing the rebate highlighted. Health Minister Abbott has been relegated to playing the part of a Prime Ministerial puppet, according to a summary of corporate news from defendmedicare.info. [Full Story]

"The 15% increase, coupled with a 'safety net' that commits Medicare to picking up 80% of any fee a doctor chooses to charge if a patient has reached the safety net, is a recipe for an explosion in individual health care costs as well as the percentage of G.D.P. that is used to meet the nation's health care costs." said Dr Joe Toscano, National convenor of Defend and Extend Medicare.