In a cohort of over 521,000 adults treated for acute sinusitis, amoxicillin and amoxicillin‑clavulanate showed no meaningful difference in treatment failure1. Adverse events were uncommon overall, but amoxicillin‑clavulanate carried higher risks of secondary infections. Patients receiving amoxicillin‑clavulanate had higher rates of yeast infections (1.1% vs 0.8%; RR 1.40) and a double rate of C difficile infection (0.04% vs 0.02%; RR 2.14), representing small absolute but cli

Stay up to date, earn CPD points, and hear from frontline experts who understand the pressures and priorities of primary care. And don't worry if you're busy - by registering, you'll receive a link to all the sessions afterwards. Register here Two of our speakers are covering interesting ground: Caryn Zinn will talk about popular supplements, and Graham Denyer overviews the strengths and limitations of telehealth in primary care. Supplements: Science, Scams, or Seriously Us

Our latest CPD options for you: 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 McMenamin and Chris Bullen on the current evidence on vaping benefits, risks, cessation support, and communication strategies that improve engagement. Register here Making sense of continuous glucose mon

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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