AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen provides members with the latest from the national AMA.
Hello and happy Friday!
It's been another busy week at your national AMA, talking with media across the country on the issue of medicinal cannabis, the patient harms you're reporting seeing, and your concerns about the fragmented parallel economy that has sprung up the past few years in the guise of single-issue virtual "healthcare" providers.
In a somewhat rare display of unity we wrote to the health minister jointly with the Pharmacy Guild to call on the government to urgently get on top of this issue. I spoke with newspapers, radio, and TV to explain our calls for tighter regulation to make sure medicinal cannabis is overseen like any other high-risk medication. We support the TGA's current review into this issue and will push for steps to make sure cannabis products are registered with the TGA and undergo the same efficacy and safety assessment as other medicines on the Australian market.
Our Public Health Committee met on Monday night and furthered our work on immunisation (falling vaccination rates should be a shock to us all!), our forthcoming Women's Health position statement (more on this later) and queer health, including our application to again have a float in next year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - 28th Feb 2026… save the date!
I also attended yet another meeting of the group providing advice to the department's taskforce on primary care reviews. We're meeting monthly to try and bring together the 5 reviews undertaken last year and design meaningful changes to support GPs to provide the best possible care to patients. We continue to strongly push for medical leadership and the central role of general practice in primary care.
Now back to the forthcoming Women's Health Position Statement, which we will release on Saturday to coincide with this year's World Menopause Day.
Around one in three women experience menopause symptoms severe enough to disrupt daily activities, yet we lack a national framework for care. Perimenopause and menopause are also times to identify women at greatest risk of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and some cancers - conditions that can be prevented with the right support!
The updated position statement highlights the unique health challenges women in Australia face - from barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare to a historic lack of female representation in medical research. It introduces new sections on perimenopause and menopause, advocating for a national framework to establish goals and timelines for changes to treatment in Australia.
This weekend I'm excited to join our Council of Doctors in Training for their two-day meeting. I'm sure there will be much to report, given the huge pressure on doctors in training to meet their training needs in a system under such strain. Workforce pathways and the Medical Training Survey are just some of the items up for discussion, and I can't wait to dive into it.
Have a great weekend, and I'll be here again next week!
