Immunology

With pollen season upon us, Healthcare Handbook editor and clinical pharmacist Carmen Pope discusses the causes, symptoms and treatment of hay fever

Non-practising pharmacist Sarah Mooney delves into the fascinating world of allergies, exploring their causes, symptoms and potential treatments

Funding community pharmacies to vaccinate pregnant women for pertussis (whooping cough) is likely to overcome some barriers to uptake by raising awareness of vaccines and increasing availability, a University of Auckland study has found

Most infectious diseases have an Achilles heel, the secret is to find it. The question is, if we don’t have a drug or a vaccine for COVID-19, is there something else we can do to beat it? 

With the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and an ongoing measles outbreak right here in New Zealand, infectious diseases have become a common ttopic of conversation. While there is not yet a defence against COVID-19, many other diseases can be stopped in their tracks by a successful immunisation programme. Auckland pharmacy owner Hee Seung Lee chats to reporter Jonathan Chilton-Towle about what pharmacy staff can do to raise awareness of vaccine services in the pharmacy and from other healthcare professionals.

The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand is calling for a formal Ministry of Health led “Catch-Up Plan” to increase the populations immunisation levels

Pharmac has extended funding to cover a four-strain flu vaccine for the first time from 1 March