Newsletters & General

Notice of HbA1c diagnostic threshold changes in brief1,2: New HbA1c criteria define normal as under 42 mmol/mol, prediabetes as 42-47, and diabetes as 48 or higher; no confirmation is needed if HbA1c is 53 mmol/mol or above. Vildagliptin should not be added to dulaglutide, as both act on GLP‑1 pathways. In pregnancy, all diabetes medications, including ACE inhibitors and statins, are stopped, with only metformin and insulin used, and all pregnant women require secondary ca

Dear Andrea, Our latest CPD options for you: Sepsis, and Managing respiratory viral infections WEBINAR 30 June: Paul Huggan on sepsis management and Tim Cutfield on the management of common respiratory viral infections. Register here Injectables for weight loss WEBINAR 7 July, 7.30pm. Jeremy Krebs on initiating and managing injectable therapies, focusing on contraindications, dose titration, maintenance dosing and intolerance management. Register here Managing lumb

We are pleased to share a new cancer data section on our website – CanStats. CanStats brings together the latest cancer data, dashboards, indicators, and targets from government and international cancer organisations, into one easy-to-access location. It replaces our previous “Reports and numbers” and “Cancer in Numbers” pages. You can find it on the top menu of our website at www.teaho.govt.nz. We have organised resources under the cancer control continuum: prevention, scree

Keep Saturday 5 September free. This year's online Update Day from the Goodfellow Unit brings you 13 experts to discuss what's been happening in paediatrics, prescribing, mental health, and so much more.The 2026 Primary Care Update webinar day includes: A day of practice-changing New Zealand-specific updates. 6 CPD hours (RNZCGP) and 6 professional development hours endorsed by the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ). Ongoing access to online archives of the recordings. This full

This Review will feature key medical articles from global journals, and will cover topics such as hyperbaric chamber wound healing, bed sores, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, negative pressure wound therapy, wound debridement, chronic wound care management and bacterial infection. As usual we have attached the PDF, and you can also view the issue online. Some of the highlights in this issue include: Negative pressure wound therapy plus alginate dressings Knowled

The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) set the minimum quality standard that medicinal cannabis products and ingredients must meet before they can be supplied in New Zealand. Importers, manufacturers, and suppliers must apply for assessment and provide evidence to the Medicinal Cannabis Agency to verify that their products meet the minimum quality standard. KIKUYA Spring THC20 CBD≤1% has been verified as meeting the minimum quality standar

Kia ora The June 2026 edition of Prescriber Update is now available on the Medsafe website. Please can you share it with your networks. Kind regards Medsafe Pharmacovigilance Team

Our latest CPD options for you: Chronic kidney disease, hyperuricaemia and gout - when to treat? WEBINAR 9 June: Rob Walker and Hannah Giles on how to manage patients when chronic kidney disease, hyperuricaemia, and gout coexist. Register here Metabolic Soup WEBINAR 16 June: Ryan Paul gives practical, evidence-based strategies for managing diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, gout, and kidney disease, with an emphasis on simplifying and integrating care across these in

Issue 343 - 28 May 2026 Welcome to the fortnightly Health Improvement and Innovation Digest. The Digest has links to key evidence of interest, with access to new content arranged by topic. You can forward this newsletter to others who may be interested in receiving it. They can register and subscribe here. You can also access other recent issues of the digest here. If you have any queries, please email us at library@health.govt.nz. Article Access For articles that aren't ope

Evidence from randomised trials on optimal LDL cholesterol targets for secondary prevention in known atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is limited. In an open trial, 3048 patients with known CVD disease were randomised to an LDL target of below 1.4 mmol/L or below 1.8 mmol/L.1 The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or stroke, revascularisation, or hospitalisation for unstable angina over 3 years. The median achieved LDL

Continuing Professional Development Podcasts | Webinars | Gems | eLearning | MedCases Our latest selection of CPD options for you: Lipids, BP, and the metabolic syndrome puzzle WEBINAR 26 May: Consultant Cardiologist Gerry Wilkins on taming the trio: Lipids, BP, and the Metabolic Syndrome. Register here Management of Diabetes and CHF WEBINAR 2 June: Ryan Paul overviews a practical approach to best practice of heart failure in people with diabetes, including the rol

Please find attached a memo outlining the rationale and clinical use of the above combination in adult patients. This has been developed by the Health NZ Antimicrobial Stewardship Working Group in partnership with the Te Whata Kura Development Team. We encourage you to share this information widely across your networks. Ngā mihi nui, Sharon Gardiner(on behalf of the Health NZ Antimicrobial Stewardship Working Group and the Te Whata Kura Development Team) Sharon Gardiner FPS,

Macrolides were evaluated using individual patient-level data on asthma control, as well as on severe exacerbations and harms1. Evidence certainty followed GRADE. Across 19 trials (1825 patients), macrolides improved asthma control 40.6% vs placebo (21.6%); achieved a ≥ 0.5-point improvement (high certainty); likely reduced severe exacerbations (incidence rate ratio 0.75; moderate certainty); and modestly improved quality of life. Serious adverse events and mortality showed

Enhance your Dermatology Expertise: Join Our Online Session this Saturday, 16 May. Join leading New Zealand dermatology specialists in this 4-hour webinar designed to help you navigate complex cases with confidence. All registrants will enjoy continued access to the full video recording, so you won’t miss a moment - even if you can’t attend live on Saturday. Enhance your Dermatology Expertise: Join Our Online Session this Saturday, 16 May.Join leading New Zealand dermatolo

Our latest selection of CPD options for you: High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) WEBINAR 12 May: Rajan Patel discusses the importance of early detection and timely management of high-risk cSCC. Register here Lipids, BP, and the metabolic syndrome puzzle WEBINAR 26 May: Consultant Cardiologist Gerry Wilkins on taming the trio: Lipids, BP, and the Metabolic Syndrome. Register here Management of Diabetes and CHF WEBINAR 2 June: Ryan Paul overviews a practical

Accurately diagnosing and treating impetigo and intertrigo in infants is important because their skin barrier is immature, infections spread faster, and complications can escalate before anyone realises what’s happening. In her talk at the Practical Update day, Specialist Dermatologist Lisa Connelly will focus on the diagnosis and management of impetigo and intertrigo (cradle cap) in children while also distinguishing these conditions from atopic eczema. She will also discuss

Early identification of AAS in younger Māori This study examined ethnic disparities in acute aortic syndrome (AAS) in Midland region patients1. Researchers conducted a 10-year retrospective review (2010–2020) of 250 consecutive AAS cases, in which Māori made up 23.3% of the population. Outcomes were compared between Māori and non-Māori. Māori patients accounted for 36.8% of cases and had a significantly higher age-standardised incidence of AAS (6.9 vs 2.0 per 100,000 person

It's important to distinguish rosacea from the malar rash of lupus. Rosacea treatments are effective but should be started early, as late-stage rosacea (telangiectasias and rhinophyma) is expensive to treat cosmetically. Additionally, confusing the two risks undertreating lupus or overtreating rosacea. In his session at our Dermatology Update on Saturday May 16, Consultant Dermatologist Aaron Secrest offers a practical, pattern-based approach to determing which rash you are