ANZCA and FPM media coverage

Highlights since the Autumn ANZCA Bulletin include:

Dr

(STUFF.CO.NZ, 4 JANUARY)

(ABC RADIO PERTH, 3 FEBRUARY)

Dr Cokis was interviewed on ABC Radio Perth's afternoons program on 3 February about the safety of anaesthesia. The 20-minute segment followed the distribution of an ANZCA media release reassuring the community of the safety of anaesthesia, following recent high-profile deaths of Australians after undergoing hip surgery. Dr Cokis explained to listeners that postoperative infections were extremely rare and described the different types of anaesthesia. He said anaesthetists were leading practitioners of the sub-specialty of perioperative medicine in Australia and New Zealand.

Christchurch FANZCA Dr Wayne Morriss was profiled as the first New Zealand president of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists, the global organisation that represents 300,000 clinicians. He told senior health reporter Rachel Thomas what it’s like working in environments where safe surgery is not a given and how he’s working to change that. He explained how most of the world’s population don’t have access to safe anaesthesia and surgical care.

(ABC RADIO PM , 31 JANUARY)

FPM's Director of Professional Affairs and Immediate Past Dean Associate Professor Mick Vagg was interviewed for a five-minute segment on ABC Radio's top-rating PM program that explored issues surrounding calls to legalise marijuana in Australia. The segment reached more than 200,000 people and was syndicated to ABC stations in metropolitan, regional and rural Australia. The segment was prompted by a call from the Australian Greens who released costings showing the legalisation of marijuana could generate billions of dollars for government coffers. Associate Professor Vagg explained the importance of having a "very clear-eyed evidence-based debate".

(ABC.NET.AU, 31 DECEMBER)

Melbourne FANZCA Professor Paul Myles hit the headlines after he carried a struggling shark back into the ocean at a Great Ocean Road beach in Victoria. Professor Myles told abc.net.au that he had been surfing at Eastern View beach for more than 40 years but rarely saw sharks there. He said picking up the shark was a quick decision. "I just thought I'd give it a chance, I wasn't sure if it was just disorientated or sick or whatever…I thought I'd get it out in the water a bit further out, see if it would swim out to sea but it didn't seem too well."

A comprehensive media digest can be found in each edition of the monthly ANZCA E-Newsletter and on the college website.