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These key messages, identified by Gout Action Aotearoa, a group of clinicians, researchers and organisations with a focus on improving the treatment and management of gout, are helpful when discussing gout with your patient and their whānau: Gout is not your fault. Gout is caused by too much uric acid in your body. The uric acid forms crystals in your joints, causing painful gout attacks. 90% of the uric acid in your body is caused by your genes and kidneys, while only 10% i

Long-term management of weight-loss pharmacotherapy WEBINAR 11 August, 7.30pm. Lara Courtenay will explore what long-term care looks like for patients using weight-loss pharmacotherapy beyond the initial treatment year. Register here Management of common infections WEBINAR 18 August, 7.30pm. Stephen Ritchie will outline key updates from the national antibiotic guidelines. Register here Smoking and vaping cessation: A pragmatic approach WEBINAR 25 August, 7.30pm. John McMe

The evidence for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) compared with other interventions, such as CBT, is that it is more effective for increasing abstinence. The effectiveness of AA/Twelve Step Facilitation is supported by 27 studies involving 10,565 participants1. Compared with clinical interventions like CBT, manualised AA/TSF shows higher continuous abstinence at 12 months (RR 1.21) with effects sustained to 36 months. For percentage days abstinent, AA/TSF performs similarly at 12 mo

Our latest CPD options for you: A new era of Hepatitis B: Eliminating HBV WEBINAR 21 July, 7.30pm. Ed Gane on how to improve patient outcomes and why a coordinated national strategy is key to advancing viral hepatitis elimination. Register here COVID vaccination and antivirals in 2026 WEBINAR 28 July, 7.30pm. Hasan Bhally on how COVID-19 vaccination reduces severe disease, especially in high-risk groups, and outlines practical community management of acute COVID-19. R

Familial Hyperlipidemia (FH) affects ~1 in 250 people and carries a 10-20 times higher risk of premature CVD1. Missed frequently & standard risk calculators underestimate risk. Suspect FH with LDL‑C ≥5.0 mmol/L (≥4.0 on treatment), total cholesterol ≥7.5 mmol/L, premature CVD in the patient or family (men < 55; women < 60), arcus senilis, tendon xanthoma, xanthelasma. Rule out secondary causes: steroids, antipsychotics, immunosuppressants, antiretrovirals. If suspected, ch

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. Eqalis Full Spectrum CBD120 30 mL has been verified as meeting the minimum quality

Tēnā koe, We are pleased to share the refreshed New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2026–2029 Te Mahere mō te Mate Pukupuku o Aotearoa 2026–2029. Cancer continues to place a significant and growing burden on Aotearoa New Zealand. More than 30,000 people are diagnosed each year, with this number expected to increase significantly in the coming decades as the population ages.While survival rates have improved, inequities in access and outcomes persist across different communities. T

Our latest CPD options for you: 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 lumbar and cervical spine presentations WEBINAR 14 July, 7.30pm. Otis Shirley will outline a practical primary care approach to common lumbar and cervical spine presentations, including recognising key pathologies,

Dexamfetamine (Noumed) 5 mg tab A shipment has arrived and is available for wholesalers to order. > Dexamfetamine (Noumed) supply notice Methylphenidate Concerta: Supply of 27 mg tablets out of stock. All other strengths available. Ritalin: All strengths available Rubifen: All strengths available Sandoz XR: All strengths available Teva: Supply of 36 mg tablets low. Other strengths available. > Methylphenidate supply notice Rosuvastatin (all strengths) Stock of Rosuvastatin Vi

This year's online Primary Care Update Day on Saturday 5 September, brings together 13 experts to discuss what's been happening for primary care, including: Psychedelic medicines in New Zealand: David Menkes outlines potential benefits, the current situation in Aotearoa New Zealand, and what's required to guide safe, effective practice. Restless Leg Syndrome: Alex Bartle provides a clear, current approach to managing a condition that can have a major impact on sleep, mood and

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