The Medicines Intelligence Data Platform: A Population-Based Data Resource From New South Wales, Australia.

Background: The Medicines Intelligence (MedIntel) Data Platform is an anonymised linked data resource designed to generate real-world evidence on prescribed medicine use, effectiveness, safety, costs and cost-effectiveness in Australia.

Results: The platform comprises Medicare-eligible people who are ≥18 years and residing in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, any time during 2005-2020, with linked administrative data on dispensed prescription medicines (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), health service use (Medicare Benefits Schedule), emergency department visits (NSW Emergency Department Data Collection), hospitalisations (NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection) plus death (National Death Index) and cancer registrations (NSW Cancer Registry). Data are currently available to 2022, with approval to update the cohort and data collections annually.

Antipsychotic use during pregnancy and risk of specific neurodevelopmental disorders and learning difficulties in children: a multinational cohort study.

Background: Antipsychotics are commonly prescribed to treat a range of psychiatric conditions in women of reproductive age and during pregnancy, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, and insomnia. This study aimed to evaluate whether children exposed to antipsychotic medication prenatally are at increased risk of specific neurodevelopmental disorders and learning difficulties.

Methods: Our population-based cohort study used nationwide register data (1 January 2000-31 December 2020) on pregnant women diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder and their live-born singletons from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Computational investigation of the haemodynamics shows criticalities of central venous lines used for chronic haemodialysis in children.

Background: Haemodialysis is a life-saving treatment for children with kidney failure. The majority of children have haemodialysis through central venous lines (CVLs). The use of CVLs in pediatric patients is often associated to complications which can lead to their replacement.

Patterns of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicine use in the era of new non-stimulant medicines: A population-based study among Australian children and adults (2013-2020).

Background And Aims: New therapeutic options such as lisdexamfetamine and guanfacine have recently become available for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We described contemporary patterns of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicine use among children, adolescents and adults in Australia.

Methods: This population-based study used dispensing data for a 10% random sample of Australian residents between July 2012 and December 2020.

Children's Relative Age and Medicine Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Across Australian Jurisdictions with Different School Enrolment Policies.

Children who are relatively young for their school grade are more likely to receive treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is unclear whether the phenomenon also exists across Australia or is impacted by the school enrolment policy in place. We evaluated the association between children's relative age and initiation of ADHD medicines across Australian jurisdictions with different school enrolment policies and rates of delayed school entry.

Prescribed medicine use and extent of off-label use according to age in a nationwide sample of Australian children.

Background: Medicine prescribing for children is impacted by a lack of paediatric-specific dosing, efficacy and safety data for many medicines.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of medicine use among children and the rate of 'off-label' prescribing according to age at dispensing.

Methods: We used population-wide primarily outpatient dispensing claims data for 15% of Australian children (0-17 years), 2013-2017 (n = 840,190).

Generating Real-World Evidence on the Quality Use, Benefits and Safety of Medicines in Australia: History, Challenges and a Roadmap for the Future.

Australia spends more than $20 billion annually on medicines, delivering significant health benefits for the population. However, inappropriate prescribing and medicine use also result in harm to individuals and populations, and waste of precious health resources. Medication data linked with other routine collections enable evidence generation in pharmacoepidemiology; the science of quantifying the use, effectiveness and safety of medicines in real-world clinical practice.

The impact of tightened prescribing restrictions on proton pump inhibitor use in Australia: An evaluation using interrupted time series analysis.

Aim: In May 2019, Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) tightened the prescribing restrictions for publicly subsidized high and standard strength proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). We aimed to determine the impacts on PPI use in Australia.

Methods: Population-based interrupted time series analysis of PBS dispensing claims for a 10% sample of PBS-eligible Australian residents from January 2017 to December 2020 and national prescription and over-the-counter sales to pharmacies from January 2017 to October 2020.

The changing face of Australian data reforms: impact on pharmacoepidemiology research.

Objective: A wealth of data is generated through Australia's universal health care arrangements. However, use of these data has been hampered by different federal and state legislation, privacy concerns and challenges in linking data across jurisdictions. A series of data reforms have been touted to increase population health research capacity in Australia, including pharmacoepidemiology research.

Variations in Long-term Opioid Therapy Definitions: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies Using Routinely Collected Data (2000-2019).

Routinely collected data have been increasingly used to assess long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) patterns, with very little guidance on how to measure LTOT from these data sources. We conducted a systematic review of studies published between January 2000 and July 2019 to catalogue LTOT definitions, the rationale for definitions and LTOT rates in observational research using routinely collected data in nonsurgical settings. We screened 4056 abstracts, 210 full-text manuscripts and included 128 studies, mostly from the United States (81%) and published between 2015 and 2019 (69%).

Long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors: whole-of-population patterns in Australia 2013-2016.

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most prescribed medicines worldwide and concern about their long-term use is growing. We used dispensing claims for every person in Australia dispensed publicly subsidized PPIs between 2013 and 2016 to determine the incidence and prevalence of PPI use and to examine the patterns and durations of PPI treatment among individuals continuing treatment beyond the guideline-recommended maximum 12 weeks.

Methods: We estimated annual prevalence and incidence per 100 people and duration of treatment for every Australian dispensed publicly subsidized PPIs between 2013 and 2016.

Passing the acid test? Evaluating the impact of national education initiatives to reduce proton pump inhibitor use in Australia.

Background: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is widespread. There have been increasing concerns about overuse of high-dose PPIs for durations longer than clinically necessary.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of national education initiatives on reducing PPI use in Australia.

A new integrative approach to increase quality of life by reducing pain and fear of movement in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty: the IARA model.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) improve the patients' quality of life, and one of the most important problems after surgery is to optimize postoperative pain management. It has been shown that pain is intimately linked to the fear of movement, the so-called kinesiophobia, which can affect the entire perioperative period and quality of life in people undergoing THA. In this study, we aimed to present a new integrative approach called IARA model specifically focused on educational interventions such as knowledge and awareness of illness, guided imagery, and drawings to help the patient achieve full autonomy and confidence about the perioperative period and surgery.