Psychotropic medicines are ‘overused and misused’ in the disability sector, consultant pharmacist Dr Manya Angley FPS told the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability yesterday.

A pandemic may have prevented traditional face-to-face events, but it didn’t stop pharmacists from across the country celebrating the 11th annual World Pharmacists Day last week.

Dealing with challenging situations and weighing up the best available evidence is a familiar scenario for medical professionals. But for Professor Brendan Murphy, who led the health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the scope of the challenge – and the evidence — changed constantly.

Pharmacists have numerous opportunities to assess risk, recommend therapies, and help patients manage their heart health.

Before engaging in discussions with patients who are sceptical about vaccines, it’s key to understand and recognise where they are coming from.

Prevention, early diagnosis and optimal treatment are essential to reduce the progression of this irreversible disease.