It is always nice to get a good news story - especially when the good news is relating to the School of Pharmacy!
Such was the case last week when Lecturer, Dr Leanne Chalmers, gained a spot on the local television news for receiving $12,000 in funding from the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF), supported by a grant from the Rotary District of Tasmania, to undertake a state-wide project investigating the use of anti-clotting medications in Tasmania.
The project, titled 'Outcomes of antithrombotic therapy in a new era: the Tasmanian experience', will be headed by Dr Chalmers, in collaboration with Dr Luke Bereznicki and Professor Greg Peterson of the School of Pharmacy, and Dr Nicole Hancock and Dr Philip Roberts-Thomson of the Royal Hobart Hospital. The project is expected to deliver improved health management practices for Tasmanians suffering from atrial fibrillation - a common heart arrhythmia, through investigating the use of anti-clotting options for these people.
"Until recently, there have only been two anti-clotting options for patients with atrial fibrillation. Two new medications have recently been released and others will follow soon, but international data have shown that it's crucial that the right medication is chosen for every individual. The aim is to gather information to inform this decision for Tasmanians" stated Dr Chalmers.
The project aims to identify emerging trends and to highlight potential issues related to the use of anti-clotting agents among Tasmanians through data captured by the state's three public hospitals. The two-year project will commence in July, with key findings expected to emerge in 2014.