MoTeC (Australia)

To provide insights into the effectiveness and safety of faricimab for treatment-naïve eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). A retrospective cohort study using a prospectively-designed registry. Treatment-naïve eyes with nAMD in Australia starting treatment with faricimab between Jan 2023-Sep 2024 were included. Controls were treatment-naïve eyes starting with aflibercept 2 mg before 2022. Visual acuity (VA), macular neovascularisation activity, time to first inactivity, number of injections, injection intervals and number of visits at 12 months were investigated. Eyes treated with faricimab versus aflibercept 2 mg were compared using overlap weighting. The main outcome measure was the 12-month VA change. Twenty-three practitioners treated 160 eyes with a 4-letter gain in VA (mean, 61.5-65.5 letters) and 48% attaining a dosing interval of ≥ 12 weeks, although 22% were still treated at < 8 weekly intervals. The small proportion (6.9%) of eyes switching to another agent had improved vision but were mostly active when switching off faricimab. Eyes received 7.2 injections (mean) at 7.4 visits (mean), receiving treatment at 98% of visits indicating a strongly proactive treatment regimen. Most (71%) lesions became inactive by 12 months with a mean time to inactivation of 10.3 weeks. Eyes starting faricimab had a significantly higher inactivation rate with more eyes reaching the last injection interval of ≥ 12 weeks than those starting aflibercept 2 mg. These findings indicate that faricimab is safe and effective for treatment-naive eyes with nAMD. Faricimab had a stronger effect on nAMD lesion activity than aflibercept 2 mg.

ABSTRACTIn this article, a rationale for how a person-centered approach (PCA) may contribute to a constructive practice of social ethics is discussed. As an exemplar of social ethics, I refer to the clinical, moral and political action taken in October 2015 by approximately 400 medical staff at a large public hospital in Australia. Their action, prompted by a perceived threat to their duty of care for a discriminated minority group (of persons seeking asylum in Australia), raises several important issues concerning the practice of social ethics. I will discuss Kant’s emphasis upon the regulatory functions of an autonomous will, and Rogers’ focus on the facilitative conditions for enhancing the innate tendency of individuals and groups to organize, develop and co-exist constructively. Inferences are drawn from the practice of social ethics advocated by proponents of sociotherapy and similar humanistic perspectives.

In this paper, we studied magnetic properties of Heusler-type glass-covered microwires and thin films. The results have shown that we succeeded to prepare Ni‐Mn‐In thin films and Ni‐Mn‐Ga and Ni‐Mn‐In microwires that have martensitic and austenitic phases at room temperature.

The Indo-Malay region, which is represented by at least 17 whiprays of the genus Himantura, has the richest dasyatid fauna of any region. Himantura hortlei n. sp. is described based on specimens from coastal marine and estuarine habitats in the Arafura Sea off Irian Jaya (southwestern New Guinea). The mature male holotype was caught in the estuary of the Minajerwi River. It is a moderately large ray that reaches at least 0.7 m disc width and 2.4 m total length. This species can be distinguished from most of its congeners by the combination of a relatively narrow, heart-shaped disc with a very long angular snout, very small eyes, a non-protrusible mouth, no deep circumoral grooves, larger and more slowly developing denticles, a less well-developed lateral prepelvic process, a yellowish ventral surface when fresh, denticles present along the upper anterior snout margin, and a denticle band ending well forward of the eyes in adults.

There have been recent campaigns in many countries to address the increasing morbidity and mortality of asthma by promoting better management. This study aimed to evaluate the National Asthma Campaign (NAC), in Australia, and to assess the extent of its impact on reported asthma management. It was a cross-sectional, before and after study using the same self-administered questionnaire in postal surveys involving 472 general practitioners (GPs) before the campaign and 540 GPs 6 months after the start of the campaign. Both samples were random samples of GPs in active practice. The campaign was effective in making GPs more aware of the principles of good asthma management. Most (74%) GPs in the post-campaign survey were aware of a current asthma education programme compared with 53% in the pre-campaign survey, although only 23% cited the NAC. After the campaign there were significant improvements reported in airway function measurement practices, the use of preventive therapy and the use of written action plans.

A stratified random sample of 655 Australian general practitioners (GPs) was surveyed to determine their attitudes, knowledge and behaviour in relation to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic. Of the 486 respondents, 22% had one or more patients with HIV infection in their practice and 60% had been asked for information on HIV infection in the past month by at least one patient. The majority of respondents viewed screening and education of patients as part of their role, but 24% did not want to maintain a therapeutic relationship with HIV-infected patients and 16% felt it was appropriate to refuse to treat this group. Although most respondents correctly identified the well known risk-taking behaviours for HIV infection in homosexual men and intravenous drug users, they underestimated the risk to heterosexuals and exaggerated that associated with activities generally considered not to involve risk. The knowledge of appropriate infection control procedures of approximately 60% of the respondents was inadequate. A lack of time in consulting was the most commonly cited barrier to the routine assessment of, or enquiry into, risk-taking behaviours of patients in the respondents' practices. Respondents noted that they required more knowledge of the clinical presentation and diagnosis of HIV infection, as well as education in counselling techniques and the risks of transmission associated with sexual and non-sexual activities. They felt such information could best be imparted through printed material. These results indicate that most GPs are willing to play an active role in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV disease, but they require more accurate information in order to fulfil this role appropriately. The study identifies and addresses several barriers to GPs playing a more active role in the management of HIV disease.