In this must-listen episode, I sit down with Professor Tony Lawler, Deputy Secretary of the Australian Federal Government’s Health Products Regulation Group—home to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

We dive into the essential obligations that every Australian health professional needs to know when it comes to discussing, representing, and advertising therapeutic goods—whether in their practice, marketing, or online presence.

In today’s digital world, where our footprints are permanent, it's crucial to stay compliant with TGA regulations. Tony sheds light on the legislation and regulations that affect us all, and what I learned was nothing short of eye-opening. This is easily one of my top episodes to date.

If you're an Aussie health professional, this episode is non-negotiable. Listen twice. Share it with your colleagues. We’re all accountable to these rules, and as Tony made clear, ignorance is no excuse for non-compliance.

Grab a cuppa (or something stronger) and settle in for 45 minutes of essential, eye-opening content.

For more information on the TGA advertising guidelines, visit the ⁠TGA Advertising Hub⁠.

**All opinions in this podcast are those of the host and guest, and do not reflect the views of any affiliated organizations.

Health practitioner burnout - it's the triple-edged sword that injures practitioners, patients, and the health system.

In this episode, psychologist Dr Shaun Prentice joins me to discuss burnout:

• What causes it (the answer may surprise you!)
• How to prevent it.
• How to manage it.

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Along the way we address the hard questions including "At what point does burnout signal that it is time to leave the profession?"

If you or someone you know has burnout, has been burned out, or may be approaching it, this is one episode not to be missed.

A strangly uplifting listen, and one of my personal favourite guest interviews to date.

If this episode distressed you, here is where you can seek help:

• Your GP, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional.
• Lifeline - 13 11 14
• Suicide Callback Service - 1300 659 467

• Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636
• Blackdog

• Doctors Health Advisory Service - 02 9437 6552

** All content and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guest, and do not represent the views of any organisation with which they are affiliated.

It has long been accepted that in patients who have undergone axillary lymph node dissection/clearance, the ipsilateral arm must not be used again for any sort of medical instrumentation. This frequently results in overuse of the other arm (and sometimes the feet and other creative sites) for vascular access. The outcome was often impracticality, discomfort, distress, and occasionally overt harm to the patient. All due to the theoretical risk of lymphoedema.

But just just how theoretical is that risk? Very, it appears. Over the past 14 years, the weight of cumulative evidence has shown that there is very little to prove that instrumenting the affected arm increases the risk of lymphedemga.

All of this has caused a recent shift in the clinical paradigm - so much so that the latest guidance in 2023 from The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists says it is safe to use the patient's affected arm for vascular access, vaccination, BP monitoring.

In fact, ANZCA has a media release and a patient factsheet on this very topic.

In this episode of the podcast, I chatted to anaesthetist Dr James Marckwald to clarify the evidence and context behind this new guidance.

Hooray for medical advancement!

** All content and opinions expressed are those of the host and guest, and do not represent the views of any of the organisations with which they are affiliated.