HEALTHMonitor produced by Media Monitors ACT Pty Ltd distributed by Health Communication Network Limited Issue No. 998 - Tuesday, July 06, 1999 PRINT MEDIA SUMMARY THE AUSTRALIAN James Dunn p28 Cancer probe hits spot. Biotechnology company Polartechnics yesterday announced the successful completion of clinical trials of its skin cancer detection system, the Skin Polaprobe. The system accurately diagnosed 98 per cent of melanomas present in the sample population. (HM060700) Adrian Lynch p64 Telemedicine gift to Georgia. The International Telecommunications Union is financing a telemedicine project at the Tbilisi Guli Cardiac Clinic in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. The project adds to its support for the Tbilisi Institute of Radiology�s Internet diagnostic services. (HM060701) Simon Hayes pITT Keying into automation age. The RSL Veterans� 8 Retirement Village outside Sydney implemented, in 1997, a PC-based network using Novell NetWare which has to date saved the facility approximately $50,000. The system uses Microsoft Office and Insight Aged Care and is mounted on a DEC ZX6000 series Pentium Pro server. (HM060702) THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Judith Whelan p3 Health funds have plenty more to sign up before the gap chapter closes. Australian Consumers Association senior health policy officer Nicola Ballenden has warned the no-gap agreements signed between St Georges Hospital in Sydney, HCF and Medibank Private has not eliminated many of the out-of-pocket expenses for privately insured patients. (HM060703) Julie Robotham p4 New shot in the arm for contraception research. The Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne and the Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney have completed a six-month trail of the world�s first male hormonal contraceptive. (HM060704) Nick Leys p4 Women angry over high-cost low-dose pill. SDW Department for Women director-general Robyn Henderson has called for a new low-dose contraceptive pill to be included on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, however, the drug�s manufacturer Schering says the Federal Government is not prepared to adequately subsidise its costs. (HM060705) Aisling Irwin p10 Beware of all those added extras. Article argues that despite no clear evidence linking chemicals in food to adverse health effects the public�s concern over the issue is credible with the issue being why contaminate food with foreign substances when it is not necessary to their quality or production levels. (HM060706) THE AGE Andrea Carson pA6 Chilling news on air-conditioners. A report has warned that the chemical HCFC-123 used in air- conditioning units and fire extinguishers has been linked to liver cancer in rats and has urged the introduction of warning labels. (HM060707) Mary-Anne Toy pA6 Catholic hospitals warn of cut to services for poor. The Sisters of Charity, Mercy Health and Aged Care, St John of God Health Care and other Catholic groups have told the Vic Government�s health services policy review that tax reform proposal will force them to reduce services to the disadvantaged and may put them out of business. (HM060708) THE CANBERRA TIMES p2 ANU scientists pin cancer enzyme in cloning discovery. In a major cancer research breakthrough scientists at the Australian National University have successfully isolated and cloned the enzyme heparanase, responsible for the growth and spread of solid tumours. (HM060709) Catriona Jackson p3 ACT to follow up NSW Naltrexone study. Australian National University researcher Gabriele Banmersays the results of a NSW Naltrexone trial, to be published in next week�s Medical Journal of Australia, will be of extreme relevance to the ACT trial of the heroin treatment, due to begin on Monday. (HM060710) Mark Ludlow p4 Administrator accused o $72,000 theft. Prominent Aboriginal administrator Percival Montgomery Knight yesterday plead not guilty to charges of allegedly stealing $72,000 from the National Federation of Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups Inc, when he was executive officer. (HM060711) Roderick p4 Drug company bid to block inquiry fails. The Campbell Federal Court has dismissed an appeal by drug company Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd against a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission ruling allowing a discrimination case launched by the executive of the deceased Alyschia Dibble to proceed. (HM060712) THE WEST AUSTRALIAN Francesca Hodge p9 Rare blood gift not in vein. Profile of WA resident Graham Gladman who is among the very rare group of people possessing the negative antigen in blood platelets. The substance is used to treat neo-natal immune thrombocytopenia which can cause death or brain damage to infants during labour. (HM060713) THE COURIER MAIL Sean Parnell p3 Cancer alert on coal tar in lotion. Cosmetic company Hallas Trading has withdrawn its Ellas Bache Oily Skin Lotion from sale after concerns were raised that the ingredient, coal tar, may be carcinogenic. The company has defended the use of coal tar in its cosmetic, claiming that it is considered one of the best treatments for psoriaasis, a skin disease determined by scaly patches. (HM060714) David Murray and p4 Drug treatment �cure for crime�. A study by the Ali Lawlor Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies, presented to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, shows that drug users, who have been involved in crime, managed to reduce their involvement in illegal activity after undergoing drug rehabilitation programmes. (HM060715) p5 Wine industry toasts boom in winter red sales. Stanthorpe wine proprietor Sam Costanzo claims that the recent growth in wine sales, indicated by Australian Bureau of Statistics figures which show a 3.1 per cent increase in June, was due mainly to medical research into the health benefits associated with drinking red wine. (HM060716) Matthew Hart p6 Gays plan safe place project. Townsville�s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities have launched the Safe Place Project in a bid to promote a safety strategy in the Queensland town. (HM060717) ADELAIDE ADVERTISER Kelly Ryan p7 300,000 in pregnancy drug alert. Royal Women�s Hospital chief gynaecologist Ross Pagano has warned that up to 30,000 women exposed to the pregnancy drug DES during the 1970s are at increased risk of breast cancer with their daughters having reproductive problems. (HM060718) Miles Kemp p1 Dean�s quick dental cure. Dentists working in SA public hospitals have written to State Human Services Minister Dean Brown warning that many patients are undergoing unnecessary teeth extractions as the resources for root canal treatments are not available. (HM060719) THE HERALD SUN Simon Pristel p9 Drug patients fear. The DES Action Australia group has raised concerns that hundreds of people may be the victims of the DES scandal, but do not know it as minimal records were kept regarding the treatment and the number of people in Australia who had been exposed to the controversial drug. (HM060720) Jeremy Kelly p10 Marital advice leads to affair. The Vic Medical Practitioners� Board yesterday gave psychiatrist Rodney James Smith a reprimand and professional supervision for a period of 12 months after finding him guilty of serious misconduct in his affair with a female patient he was offering marriage counselling to. (HM060721) Ashley Gardner p12 Surgery plan helps children. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons has received a Federal Government grant of $200,000 for its paediatric surgical outreach pilot programme, developed to reduce the number of children forced to go to Melbourne for treatment because of a lack of rural services. (HM060722) THE DAILY TELEGRAPH p18 Asthma pollution link confirmed. A study by the UK Royal University College Medical School and St George�s Hospital Medical School of GP�s daily consultations between 1992 and 1994 has found a direct link between levels of air pollution and the incidence of asthma among children. (HM060723) THE HOBART MERCURY Eve Lamb p7 New goal kicking the habit. Former Hawthorn footballer Peter Hudson has become a representative for the anti-smoking lobby, with plans to send an anti-smoking message to Tasmanian school children in a bid to stop them from taking up the habit in later years. (HM060725) p9 Phones cordless, not necessarily harmless. The British Government has ordered an inquiry into the possible health effects of mobile phone use with electro-magnetic radiation scientist Gerald Hyland calling for a similar investigation into the radiation emitted by cordless phones, which are used more often and frequently than mobile phones. (HM060726) MAJOR MEDIA RELEASES The Health Insurance Australia�s largest service organisation publishes Commission service standards. The Health Insurance Commission has welcomed the launch by Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Michael Wooldridge of its Charter of Care which outlines customer service standards and performance benchmarks. (HM060727) The Australian Health insurance commission chairman in untenable Doctors� Fund position. The Australian Doctors� Fund has called on Dr Barry Catchlove to abandon one of his two positions, either his position as Chairman of the Health Insurance Commission, or as a senior executive of private hospital operator Mayne Nickless. (HM060728) Aboriginal and Torres A challenge for good health. The National Strait Island Indigenous 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge has been Commission launched in Alice Springs by ATSIC Chairman Gatjil Djerrkura. (HM060729) Federal Veterans� Gulf war veterans to benefit from new defence Affairs Minister health strategy. Federal Veterans� Affairs Bruce Scott Minister Bruce Scott has announced a series of initiatives providing early access to health treatment for returned service personnel with acute undiagnosable conditions. (HM060730) ELECTRONIC MEDIA SUMMARY 5/7 1600 2CN Naltrexone dangers. Opposition spokesperson for Health Jenny Macklin discusses a study just released in Sydney highlighting the problems and dangers associated with the drug Naltrexone.. Intv: Jenny Macklin, Opposition spokesperson for Health. (Dur: 07:15) (HM060731) 5/7 0900 2CN Naltrexone study results released. South Eastern Sydney Health Service�s James Bell discusses the results of recent Naltrexone trials and the way that the drug works. Intv: James Bell, head of drug and alcohol services, South Eastern Sydney Health Service. (Dur:08:30) (HM060732) OTHER PRINT ARTICLES 6/7 Australian Can diet prevent breast cancer? p13 6/7 Australian Throwing money at fund is unhealthy p15 6/7 Financial Skin cancer research boosts Polartechnics p22 Review 6/7 The Age Drops p8 6/7 Canberra Times Fire chemical �may harm� infants p2 6/7 Canberra Times Keith cuts paperwork chase at Calvary p4 6/7 Canberra Times We could do with a drug �failure� like p8 this 6/7 West Australian Ross River rises as rains recede p4 6/7 Courier Mail Milestone in tumour treatment p3 6/7 Courier Mail In sickness and in health p8 6/7 Courier Mail In sickness and in health p8 6/7 Courier Mail In sickness and in health p8 6/7 Adelaide New role for men in birth control p7 Advertiser 6/7 Herald Sun Birth drug a male turn-off p9 6/7 Herald Sun Cancer-spread enzyme cloned p11 6/7 Daily Telegraph Alarm sounded over air-conditioning gas p9 6/7 Daily Telegraph Helping medicine go down p20 6/7 Hobart Mercury Contraceptive trial dad says come on, men p5 5/7 Newcastle Hospitals ready for Y2K bug p12 Herald 5/7 Newcastle GPs slammed p14 Herald 5/7 Kalgoorlie Rural nurses to benefit from scholarship p3 Miner scheme 3/7 Illawarra There�s more to being a doctor than p16 Mercury medicine 3/7 NT News Ambulance is there p11 2/7 Border Mail Funding hike hides bite on dental care p9 2/7 Border Mail Rural kids gain surgical benefits of city p15 1/7 NT News Cancer kills 1 in 6 Territorians p2 1/7 NT News Mental ward death �preventable� p4 HEALTHMonitor is produced by Sarah Hanley and Natasha Cross Transcripts, clippings, video and audio tapes, further information. 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