For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews
Putting politics first: Consultation on health regulators goes awry
Wednesday 28 May 2025, 03:30 AM

Some health sector leaders say the Ministry of Health’s workforce consultation document was biased and contained loaded questions [Image: champpixs on iStock]
Putting Patients First sounded benign enough. But the subtitle, Modernising health workforce regulation, should have provided more than a hint that this consultation document was going to rattle health profession regulators. Allegations of predetermined outcomes, poor cultural safety and a Medical Council on the defence followed. Reporter Stephen Forbes reviews the story
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The Government wants to overhaul the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act to speed up overseas registration — but pre-emptiv, READ MORE
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa
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