National Return of Unwanted Medicines project (NatRUM) data collection has now started. Data collectors have finished work at the Brisbane incineration site and are already finding interesting results. The audit component of the project is expected to run for the next two months.
	From left: NatRUM Project Manager Toni Riley, Griffith Uni NatRUM team members; Alejandra Gallardo-Godoy, Fiona Kelly, Amanda Wheeler, Emilie Bettington

 

Associate Professor Tracy Comans, Dr Kim Nguyen, Dr Sanjeewa Kularatne, Professor Wendy Moyle  have been awarded $518,238 from the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre to develop a preference based measure to value quality of life for people with a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive decline. They will use interdisciplinary expertise of consumers, policy makers and researchers. The team will work in partnership with Prof Kurrle from the University of Sydney, Prof Ratcliffe from Flinders University, Dr Rowen from University of Sheffield, UK, Brendan Mulhern from University of Technology, Sydney, and Megan Corlis from Helping Hand, Adelaide.

A group of Griffith researchers have been appointed to undertake an audit of the National Return of Unwanted Medicines (RUM) program. The RUM program was initiated in 1998 by the Commonwealth Department of Health to facilitate the collection and safe disposal of unwanted and out-of-date medicines from the Australian community. Under this scheme, consumers Australia-wide can take unwanted medicines to their local pharmacy, who then arranges collection for high-temperature incineration. Inappropriate disposal of medicines, including throwing them in the regular rubbish collection or flushing down sinks and toilets can lead to detection of these substances in the waterways which has environmental consequences.

The aims of the project are two-fold. Firstly, a detailed analysis of the types and amounts of medicines being disposed of will be undertaken. Secondly, a consumer household survey will be undertaken to estimate the numbers of Australian households who are using this service, and for those who are not, how awareness of this program may be increased. This information can be used to inform the government of how better to manage the program in the future.

Led by Professor Amanda Wheeler from the School of Human Services, the team also includes Dr Jean Spinks and Emilie Bettington from the Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine and Dr Fiona Kelly from the School of Pharmacy. The project will run for six months from May until November 2016. For further information or inquiries, please contact (Dr Alejandra Gallardo-Godoy ph 33821310) in the first instance.

 

The Centre for Applied Health Economics has made a submission to the development of the strategy and priorities of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). The $20 billion MRFF was announced in the 2014-2015 Australian Government's budget to support medical research and innovation in Australia. The submission suggested an objective, transparent and practical approach for assessing the value for money of research programs to ensure that research funding is efficient, sustainable, and equitable.

Read Submission