Newsletters & General

This RCT 1  enrolled 437 secondary care patients aged ≥65 years (mean 75) with CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores ≥2 in men and ≥3 in women. Participants were assigned to 6-month (180-day) monitoring, using an Apple smartwatch with photoplethysmography and single-lead ECG functions, or to standard care.  Over 6 months, atrial fibrillation (AF) was detected in 21 patients (9.6%) in the intervention group versus 5 (2.3%) in controls. Several asymptomatic AF episodes were identified only in th

Enhance your Dermatology Expertise: Join Our Online Session on Saturday, 16 May. Skin conditions are among the most frequent presentations in primary care. This 4-hour webinar brings together top New Zealand dermatology specialists to help you navigate these complexities with confidence. What to expect: Expert-led, primary care–focused updates on recognising and managing common dermatology presentations seen in everyday practice. Practical guidance on diagnosing and treating

Our latest webinars and podcasts for you:  Whole of life protection: A focus on adult vaccination WEBINAR 14 April: Nikki Turner on the importance of adult immunisation as part of comprehensive preventive care in primary practice.  Register here   Redefining insomnia management WEBINAR 21 April: David Cunnington, a specialist sleep physician, will review contemporary insomnia management, including CBT-I, and discuss the role of medications, including lemborexant, a newer agen

Please see attached latest Research Review

The benefit of beta‑blockers after myocardial infarction in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≥50%) is uncertain. This individual‑patient meta‑analysis combined five open‑label randomised trials, including 17,801 patients without other indications for beta-blockers 1 .  Participants were assigned to beta‑blocker therapy or no therapy, and the primary outcome was a composite of all‑cause death, myocardial infarction, or heart failure. After a med

Hurry and secure your place this weekend We invite all primary care professionals to New Zealand’s premier professional development event for general practice and primary care. Event Overview: 📅 March 2026 21-22 Due Drop Events Centre, Manukau Programme highlights : Hear from leading experts and our partners the Royal NZ College of GPs, the Royal NZ College of Urgent Care, and Allevia Hospitals - with a line-up that blends essential updates, fresh perspectives, and practice-

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. Beacon Medical GSC THC20 CBD≤1 has been verified as meeting the minimum quality sta

Dear Andrea, NEXT WEEK!  Goodfellow Symposium 2026 And while we wait, here are our latest webinars and podcasts:    Functional gastrointestinal conundrums: Utilising the MDT WEBINAR 17 March: The team from Allevia Hospitals will distil key practical tips and demonstrate how a team-based, multidisciplinary approach can help clinicians manage common GI conundrums more effectively.    Register here   Adult ADHD in practice: A clinical Q&A  WEBINAR 19 March: Join David Codyre for

Please see Research Review edition attached

Please see Research Review edition attached

Kia ora   The March 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

Issue 337 - 5 March 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

A randomized trial compared oral ivermectin with 5% permethrin for treating scabies in index cases and household clusters of up to eight people 1 . Ivermectin 200 µg/kg was taken with food on days 0 and 10, while permethrin was applied head-to-toe, including hair, genitalia, and children’s faces, left on overnight, and washed off after at least eight hours. Emollients and textile decontamination were advised. Children under 15 kg received permethrin only.  Cluster-level cur

Please see the AWHC Newsletter attached.

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. Sunrise T21.1 has been verified as meeting the minimum quality standard. More infor

Just over 3 weeks to go!  Goodfellow Symposium 2026 In the meantime, here are our latest webinars and podcasts:  Sexuality & Intimacy Workshop FACE-TO-FACE WORKSHOP in AUCKLAND 26 & 27 February: Join Allyson Waite for a 2-day workshop designed to extend your knowledge regarding sexuality and intimacy.   Register here   Whole of life protection: A focus on adult vaccination WEBINAR 3 March: Nikki Turner on the importance of adult immunisation as part of comprehensive preventi

Breakfast with a show! On both days of the Symposium, we'll serve breakfast alongside great talks. Your only challenge will be deciding which to go to.On Saturday morning you have a choice of: Winter readiness: Respiratory management essentials, with James Wethasinghe Moving our A into G for CKM health, with Walaa Saweirs Sunday's offering: Cardiovascular risk after COPD exacerbations in NZ and the role of triple therapy, with Jeff Harrison and William Good The 6th Anniversar

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 open access, contact your H

Kia ora ,The countdown is on to International Rare Disease Day on 28 February, which also marks the beginning of Rare Disorders Month - and we’re excited to see how you will Glow Up and Show Up for Rare  this March! We've made it super easy to join the campaign with our new fundraising platform. Simply sign up  to create your own fundraising page and decide how you would like to #GlowUpShowUp for rare. From morning teas to movie nights, or perhaps even a personal challenge -

Kia ora koutou, OUR LATEST TE WHATA KURA UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2026 We are pleased to share our latest Te Whata Kura newsletter, attached to this email. It includes updates on febrile neutropenia and maternal guidelines, as well as links to promotional and support materials.  You can access Te Whata Kura here:   https://tewhatakura.nz   Please share this newsletter widely across your networks, including clinicians, committees, organisations, and professional bodies involved with