inTervieW - Green Cross Publishing

12
news
n500,000 worth counterfeit
drugs seized in ireland
The Irish Medicines Board
(IMB), Revenue Commissioners,
Customs Service and An Garda
were among authorities from
more than 45 countries who
participated in an InTERPOl-coordinated
international internet
week of action recently targeting
the online sale of counterfeit
and illegal medicines, to raise
awareness of the associated
health risk. The action resulted
in arrests across the globe and
the seizure of thousands of
potentially harmful medicines.
In Ireland, a joint operation by
the IMB, Customs and Garda led
to the seizure of 262,000 tablets
and capsules worth an estimated
€500,000. The substances seized
included products for weight
loss and erectile dysfunction as
well as mood stabilisers.
Focusing on websites supplying
illegal and dangerous
If the menopause was discussed
more openly, fewer Irish women
would feel isolated, uncertain and
frustrated by menopausal symptoms.
That’s according to the Dublin
Well Woman Centres, which
recently launched a new online
forum where women can discuss
the menopause with medical
experts as well as their peers.
The online forum, called On the
Vine, is being launched to mark
World Menopause Day today. Also
to mark the Day, Well Woman has
initiated a series of fact-sheets on
the menopause, which will see
factsheets on various topics being
published approximately every
two months. The first factsheet
deals with the topic of ‘hot flushes.
Both the online forum and the
factsheets are being hosted on
www.wellwomancentre.ie.
medicines, Operation PAnGEA
III involved national medicines
agencies, police and customs
with support from Internet
Service Providers (ISPs), payment
systems providers and
delivery services. Together
they targeted the three main
components abused by people
seeking to make a profit in this
illegal website trade, the Internet
Service Provider (ISP), electronic
payment system and the delivery
service.
On an international scale
267,855 packages were inspected
globally by regulators
and customs throughout the
week-long operation resulting in
the seizure of 10,916 packages.
1,014,043 tablets were seized in
total largely relating to erectile
dysfunction pills, weight loss
tablets, antibiotics, hormones
and steroid products, anti-
Speaking on World Menopause
Day, Well Woman’s Chief
Executive, Alison Begas, said: “In
spite of our more open society,
menopause is still one of those
topics that gets very little public
airing. In fact, more often than
not when it is mentioned, it is the
butt of jokes, which does nothing
to encourage open discussion of
the issue.
“Our new online forum, On the
Vine, is an attempt to get women
talking about menopause. We
want them to share experiences
and discuss their approaches to
dealing with symptoms,” said Ms
Begas. “We know from research
– and indeed from feedback
from women at our clinics – that
most women are not informed
about the menopause. According
to research conducted by the
depressants, pain killers, cardiac
medication, anti-cholesterol,
stimulants/amphetamines,
cancer medication and insulin.
328 portal hubs were inspected
for illegal activity resulting in the
removal of 290 websites.
Operation PAnGEA has grown
extensively since it first took
place in 2008 involving eight
countries including Ireland. It is
the largest internet-based action
of its kind co-ordinated by the
Permanent Forum of International
Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC),
the Heads of Medicines Agencies
Working Group on Enforcement
Officers (HMA WGEO), InTERPOl
and World Customs Organisation
(WCO) with the assistance of the
pharmaceutical industry and the
electronics payment industry
in support of the International
Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting
Taskforce (IMPACT).
Menopause still not discussed openly
Women’s Health Council in 2008,
almost 60 per cent of women
aged 35 to 50 wanted more information
about the menopause.
By getting women talking about
menopause, we hope to achieve
a better understanding about this
change in life.”
In addition to the on-line forum
and fact-sheets, Well Woman also
publishes a leaflet on the menopause,
which is available online
or in hard copy from its clinics at
Pembroke Road, liffey Street and
Coolock in Dublin. For further
information, see: www.wellwomancentre.ie
To access the factsheet, see:
www.wellwomancentre.ie/content/downloads/menopausefactsheet1.pdf
The web-forum : www.wellwomancentre.ie/forum/forum
A new booklet has been
launched by the Irish
Osteoporosis Society to mark
World Osteoporosis Day 2010
which took place on October
20th. Osteoporosis Guidelines
is aimed at healthcare
professionals to aid diagnosis
and recognise symptoms of an
otherwise silent disease.
Currently, 300,000 people
in Ireland over the age of
50 are estimated to have
osteoporosis and one in two
Irish women and 1 in five
men over the age of 50 will
have an osteoporosis-related
fracture in their lifetime.
This is predicted to become
a major healthcare burden
over the next 25 years as the
population ages.
President of the Irish
Osteoporosis Society,
Professor Moira O’Brien
warned that osteoporosis is set
to become a ‘new epidemic’.
“Osteoporosis suffers from
severe under recognition
and often goes unnoticed
until a fracture occurs.
Unfortunately, only 15% of
people who have osteoporosis
are actually diagnosed. Even
after a fracture, the majority
of these women will not
issue 10 volume 12 • novemBeR 2010
new award to recognise
outstanding healthcare
professionals
Healthcare professionals who strive to deliver outstanding service to
their patients are to be recognised. Astellas recently announced the
launch of a new initiative, the Astellas Changing tomorrow Awards
2010, which aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of
healthcare professionals who are striving to change the course of
tomorrow for patients in Ireland. Astellas has launched this new
initiative in Ireland to identify those in healthcare who endeavour to
deliver an outstanding service for their patients, as often these vital
efforts can go unnoticed. To enter your nomination and for more information
visit www.changingtomorrowawards.ie The closing date
for entries is 5pm, Thursday, 18th of november, 2010. Professionals
working in health who are interested in entering can also request
more details from their local Astellas representative.
The closing date for entries is 5pm, Thursday, 18th of november,
2010, soon after which a shortlist of entries will be chosen and announced
in early January. The winner of each category will then be
chosen and announced at the Astellas Changing tomorrow Awards
2010 ceremony on Monday, 31st of January, 2011.
osteoporosis guidelines for healthcare professionals
receive treatment for their
osteoporosis.
“We have drafted these
guidelines to help healthcare
professionals look out for
signs of osteoporosis. While
there have been many
advances in the management
of the disease, there are still
important care gaps and we
must do all we can to promote
the detection of osteoporosis
before the first fracture
occurs.”
To order copies of the
Osteoporosis Guidelines contact
the Irish Osteoporosis Society on
1890 252 751.