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Is the hype surrounding organic food just that- all hype?

Here at Cube, we’ve certainly dipped our toes in going au naturale. Sunflower seeds, carrots, liquorice (an office winner)…  the list goes on. In fact, you name it, we’ve tried it- the ‘certified organic’ sticker has been a star feature in the office for months. 

Yet when we got hold of a University of Sydney study that showed only a slight nutritional benefit in eating organic versus non-organic produce, we Cubans started to question our nutritional ways. If going organic is no healthier, yet considerably costlier, are we just suckers to the latest food craze? When an apple tastes like an apple, is it worth the extra $1 to go organic?

Not so fast….

The Biological Farmers of Australia (the experts should know best, right?) claim that eating organic may help us live longer. What’s more, the largest study into organic food, published in 2007, found that organic fruits and vegetables contain between 20 and 40 per cent more antioxidants than conventionally grown produce.

Presented with two sides of the coin, we decided to dig deeper.  

There’s lot of confusion about what constitutes organic. In Australia, there are currently 7 different organisations that certify (and label) organic products. What’s more, up until October last year, there wasn’t even a legal definition of the word ‘organic’- as long as a product wasn’t ‘certified,’ it could be labelled organic.

Thankfully, there is now a domestic Australian organic standard, which bans the use of fertilisers, pesticides and genetically-modified material. The only downfall is that the standard is voluntary, so it comes down to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to prosecute those who don’t comply. The Organic Federation of Australia (OFA) is pushing for one standard logo.

For the moment, as long as buyers pick products displaying one of the 7 logos, they can be sure their organic pickings are chemical-free- which can’t be a bad thing.

So, after a number of internal office debates, it seems we’ve come to a collective standpoint:

We like organic. In an age when everything is overly processed, there can’t possibly be any harm in ‘keeping it real.’

So, the organic stickers continue their domination in our home and office pantries, and it seems we’re not alone in our quest to go natural. Last weekend’s Organic Expo and Green Show  saw more than 8,000 visitors venture to the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour in search of all things chemical-free.

So, if you too are considering giving organic a go, here are a few suggestions:

• Fruit
• Wine
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Meat & poultry.

 Mental health is Australia’s third largest health issue behind cancer and cardiovascular disease. Mental illness is the leading cause of death for all Australians under 45, more than road trauma and binge drinking. It affects 1 in 5 Aussies and is predicted to be one of the world’s largest health problems by 2020. Such statistics can be overwhelming, however, let’s not dwell on why mental health has been relegated to the health backburner; let’s focus on escalating discussion, taking action and moving forward!

Currently, just 6 per cent of the health budget is devoted to mental health and only a third of those suffering will receive access to mental health care. Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry has used his notoriety to give a voice to those shouting for change, particularly as 2,500 Australians die each year due to mental illness.

McGorry states that the best way to show the Australian community that mental health really is a priority for the Government is to invest in mental health reform and provide Australians with access to genuine 21^st century mental health care. 

Recently the Western Australia state government appointed the first ever Mental Health Commissioner and Melbourne played host to the world’s inaugural International Youth Mental Health Conference – both small steps in the right direction.

An analysis of the major political parties’ election promises on mental health, conducted by national charity SANE Australia, has found that both policies lack vision and take a narrow and superficial view  of the complexities of mental health. SANE Australia has challenged the major parties to commit to ‘real action’ and ‘move forward’ promptly if elected.

Everyone who needs help for mental illness should get treatment and support as early as possible, for as long as needed, and in the community where they live.

In Australia, this is far from the reality of people with mental illness – says the Executive Director of SANE Australia, Barbara Hocking.

2010 is a pivotal year for mental health in Australia. Just last week, two dozen organisations have written to both main party leaders demanding for true leadership on mental health. The announcement of an election has propelled mental health out of the policy shadows and into the election spotlight. However, sustained effort and investment will be required to keep people with a mental illness living well in the community. Hopefully this August we will finally be able to give Australia’s mental health the help it deserves.

The Daily Telegraph reported on leading Sydney radio station 2GB’s decision not to run a CSA for little-known charity Retina Australia because it used the voice of the charity’s NSW patron, Don Burke. The reason? As it turns out, Burke has a weekend gardening show on rival station 2UE.

2GB went one step further and declared it would not air any rivals’ voices on its airwaves.

Unsurprisingly, this decision provoked an emotional response from Burke, who claimed the decision was ‘deeply hurtful’, especially as his name is not announced and it’s just his voice. The article also jolted the newspaper’s online readers into action, attracting in excess of 40 comments, most of which supported Burke and dismissed 2GB’s position.

This decision by 2GB raises an important, often unasked question – should competitive issues be set aside in the Australian media when the aim of the communication initiative is to raise vital funds for a charitable organisation? Or is it fair to put the needs of business before greater benefit?

Celebrities are engaged by companies and charities to help highlight a specific health cause more often than not – and their involvement is particularly crucial for organisations like Retina Australia who are inevitably deemed less ‘sexy’ (and therefore un-newsworthy) by the media.

The decision on who to use is often based on a combination of the celebrity’s personal connection to the cause and ability to attract the desired media attention – referred to in journalist circles as their ‘media currency’. If the chosen celebrity also has a regular column in a magazine, or fronts a television program, this is usually viewed as a positive by-product of the agreement.

Ironically, Retina Australia has received far more publicity from the decision taken not to air their CSA than would have been achieved through simply airing the CSA itself. But the situation does highlight celebrity affiliations to media won’t always lead to widespread coverage and that, in some instances, it can hinder – rather than help – the ability of communications professionals to spread a valid, important message far and wide.

This highlights how important it is to consider media outlet competition as well as cause connections and media currency when drawing up the shortlist of celebrities for a campaign.

Tell us what you think below!

What could the health system look like if the Coalition was in power?

With an election pending, there has been a lot of noise from the Opposition about potential policies and reforms. In a parallel universe, what would the Australian health system look like if the Coalition was in power?

Recent proposals  from the Federal Opposition include cutting funding from current Labor health reforms including…

• Medicare Locals
• GP infrastructure to upgrade primary care facilities 
• A national e-health system
• 24 hour GP phone helpline grants

…and using this cash to roll out a $1.5 billion plan to improve mental health services, including:

• 20 new early psychosis intervention and prevention centres 
• 60 additional Headspace sites for young people with mental illness  
• 800 early intervention beds

Whilst Tony Abbott claims Labor has been inactive in mental health reform, Nicola Roxon was quick to hit back against the proposals, saying national hospital and health reforms will be at risk if Labor is voted out of office

“It’s very important we do not neglect mental health and one of the disappointing aspects of the Government’s health reform proposals is that there’s been so little on mental health.”

Tony Abbott

 “The Coalition’s policy is undermined by the fact it is funded by cutting Labor’s health reforms, such as GP super clinics and e-health.”

Nicola Roxon

What are the stakeholders saying?

The AMA is currently sitting on the sidelines and waiting for further updates on what funding would be left for GPs, whilst the Mental Health Foundation of Australia expects the Federal Government to announce its own mental health reforms in the near future.

Australian of the Year, Professor Patrick McGorry, has called on the Federal Government bring physical and mental health together under a new mental health plan, whilst speaking at the National Press Club last week.  

The Coalition said last week they would unveil their primary care policy before the election, in response to concerns about how much (if any) funding would remain for primary care.

With a few months to go until an election, there is plenty of time for further announcements, proposed reforms and complete u-turns, so watch this space!

For years, transplant surgery has been the primary way of replacing severely damaged organs. Yet transplantation is one of the most challenging and complex areas of modern medicine – doctors must battle with organ rejections and transplant failure, as well as a major shortage of organs.

In June 2008, the world’s first whole tissue-engineered organ – the windpipe – was successfully transplanted into a 31 year old lady in Spain. 18 months on, she is leading a near-normal life without the need for immunosuppressants.

In cosmetics, ‘Reconstituted Human Epidermis’ (aka lab-grown skin) is already a reality – made from discarded skin during surgery, synthetic skin is being used to test the irritancy of chemicals as an alternative to animal and human testing. The technique has taken 30 years to perfect.

In the last few months, research teams have successfully created biologic blood vessels, corneal tissue and intervertebral discs. Next will be the development of a full-sized, functional organs. Moving one step further into the future, new research is investigating ways to use this technology to repair tissues and might one day prevent organ failure altogether.

However this area is surrounded by controversy. Whilst the development of lab-grown organs may benefit medicine, the use of stem cells continues to influence public opinion on whether or not research should continue. What do you think?

The e-health experts
 
…say Gillard gets it and they look forward to see how the e-health agenda progresses.

The mental health advocates
 
Mental health experts are hopeful that our new leader will put mental health higher on the agenda. A great deal of momentum developed in the lead up to the leadership shake up, with over 60 organisations delivering nearly 100,000 signatories calling for an urgent focus on mental health – but this was unfortunately delivered to the wrong PM.

Professor Patrick McGorry sees this momentum as an incredible opportunity for the Gillard Government to take action and score some ‘brownie points’ in the lead up to the election.

But watch out Julia – Tony Abbott just pledged $1.5b to improve front-line mental health services if the Coalition is elected.
 
Health got a mention in Julia Gillard’s acceptance speech (video below, in case you missed it). Will this enthusiasm translate into action?

The Footy Show in Melbourne leads in with their theme “It’s more than a Game”, but in Community Pharmacy land, the role of the Pharmacy Assistant is certainly “more than a name”. They come into the pharmacy industry with wide-eyed enthusiasm, but is their title really appropriate – one which reflects their status in their role in the Pharmacy healthcare team?

Pharmacy Assistants are fundamentally important to the survival of Community Pharmacy as we know it. As the ‘coalface’ representatives, they offer the caring perspective with which the pharmacy industry is entrusted and must multi-task every day. An average day in Pharmacy sees the whole spectrum of humanity – from those with minor illnesses, to impatient individuals and drug-dependent people with accompanying overt behaviour. Being passionate, understanding, knowledgeable, structured and organised are elementary requirements for a career in this challenging environment.

As an increasing number of Australians look to the pharmacy for ‘everyday’ management of their health concerns, the Pharmacy Assistant will become an increasingly important entity within the business. Pharmacists do expect Pharmacy Assistants to keep abreast of the latest information on treatments and disease areas, but are they encouraged and rewarded for this ongoing career development? There are a number of ways we can do this:

• Consider initiating a specialised pathway which allows career development in a particular area – diabetes, natural medicines, wound care or cardiovascular health -  complementing the role of the Pharmacist
• Encourage improvement of their professional skills by providing relevant courses and seminars
• Provide the opportunity for online study/learning, and incentivise with appropriate rewards
• Ensure they are kept informed of the latest product news and launches via the pharmacy media, particularly PostScript and Contact
• Always consider the messages and language appropriate to this audience and focus on helping them to have the confidence to conduct a consultation with customers that offers real solutions
• Highlight great work – showcase ‘stars’ through appropriate communications channels so all Pharmacy Assistants recognise what ‘the best in the business’ is all about.

Now is the time for the role of Pharmacy Assistants to be recognised and re-branded. What’s in a name? Let us know your thoughts below…

This blog has been co-authored by Gerald Quigley, practicing Community Pharmacist & Accredited Herbalist & Lisa Burling from Cube

Poignant call to action

If we take a look at Bowel Cancer Awareness Week as the most recent example, the issue dominated health news headlines all week, generating some 200 media impressions each day.

While there were varying messages from all of the organisations vying for a voice, the most common and resounding messages were: this is a cancer beginning to hit younger people (emotional), screening is critical (call-to-action) and society needs to put ‘social awkwardness’ aside when it comes to talking about bowel cancer (quirkiness).

Some organisations harnessed the power of celebrity to get their message across including Lara Bingle, George Calombaris and John Singleton, while others embraced research, personal stories and a touch of humour to spread the word.

With over 160 local, national and international health awareness days, weeks and months formally recognised by the Australian Department of Health & Ageing each year, why is it that some stand out from the crowd and demand such public and media attention, like Bowel Cancer Awareness Week, while others remain almost unheard of?

We know that not all health awareness campaigns are created equal and when embarking on a health awareness campaign, whether it’s an NGO, charity or pharmaceutical company, there needs to be a number of critical ingredients in place for a level of noise to be achieved. A host of important decisions must be made and depending on the topic/issue in question, one may find they have to work that little bit harder than their counterparts to pique the interest of media and ultimately get their target audience to act.

Working in the area of health and having played a part in many a health awareness campaign over the years, we’ve put together our top tips (with a couple of examples showing these in action) for what can help make a ‘healthy’ health awareness campaign:

1. Compelling, new research & statistics

2. Clear call-to-action that can be measured

3. Celebrity/high profile personality including MPs

4. Appeals to wider community – not just those that are affected

5. Real life stories

6. Specialists, key opinion leaders, clinical spokespeople

7. Original, creative or quirky take on getting the message across

8. Finding a journalist/media outlet with a personal connection

9. Ways to extend the campaign beyond the ‘day’, ‘week’ or ‘month’

10. Strong online presence

Enter the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, a new system coming into effect in Australia from 1^st July 2010.

What is it?

The National Registration and Accreditation Scheme is being introduced to create a unified national registration system for medical doctors, nurses/midwives, pharmacists and practitioners in seven other health occupations. It will ensure that consistent standards of practice are upheld by all health professions in Australia. As part of this, the new scheme will make it compulsory for health practitioners to partake in continuing professional development (CPD) and meet specified targets for educational credits accumulated over the course of a year.

Why is it important?

CPD has long been available to health practitioners in the form of training modules, certification courses and sponsored events, such as seminars and symposia; however participation was often reliant on two things: professional interest and personal initiative. By introducing national standards and making CPD mandatory, participation in accredited activities will become a medical mainstay and practitioners will be looking to professional bodies, teaching institutions and commercial purveyors of healthcare education to provide the learning opportunities they require.

But with great power comes great responsibility and educators must always be mindful of their responsibility to provide the highest standards of quality and value to the health professionals who will be relying on them.

For more information on the new system and how to get a pharmacist CPD module accredited visit website of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

Over the coming weeks, additional information will be made available about accreditation procedures for other professions including GPs, specialists, nurses, opticians, dentists, osteopaths, psychologists and the like, so keep your notebooks open  and your pencils at ready – there will be a quiz!

By Mitzi Saitzyk

While it is impossible to talk about all successful campaigns at once (and this is something Cube will be keeping an eye out for), below are two campaigns which have caught our attention:

1. Twitter Autism Day

In this simple and effective example, Twitter was used to create a channel for sufferers of autism and their carers to share their knowledge and experiences of life with autism. Communication and misunderstanding are some of the obstacles faced by people with autism. Twitter was an appropriate medium for this particular disease area, helping sufferers address these obstacles. It also allowed the community an opportunity to show their support by following and re-tweeting. A hashtag was created to help. Twitter Autism Day became a trending topic and this speaks volumes for the success of the campaign in raising awareness and public understanding of the condition (via Engaging Social Media).    

2. Digital Men’s Health Campaign

With last week marking YouTube’s 5^th birthday – it is impossible not to give the popular video sharing site a hat-tip. Particularly, as sharing video content online is becoming increasingly important (41% of Australians streamline or download videos).

Click here to view is a reel which encapsulates an interesting digital campaign, developed internationally by the industry, in the area of men’s health (via http://pharmadigital.wordpress.com/). Below is a snapshot of some of the digital content generated.