SBS News: Every day, six Australians die of drug overdose. Are we doing enough to lower that number?
Findings from Penington Institute’s latest report, Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023, feature in this SBS News article, revealing the extent of overdose crisis that Australia faces. Read the article on the SBS website: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/every-day-six-australians-die-of-drug-overdose-are-we-doing-enough-to-lower-that-number/6z3ashj05
Sydney Morning Herald: The common medication killing more Australians than alcohol
This month, Penington Institute released Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023. We spoke with Amber Shultz from the Sydney Morning Herald about the report. In this story, Amber highlights how pharmaceutical benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium are implicated in unintentional overdose deaths. Read the full article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-common-medication-involved-in-killing-more-australians-than-alcohol-20230819-p5dxtq.html
Opioid Pharmacotherapy at the Crossroads: Penington Institute’s New Report Sheds Light on Fragile System
Penington Institute today releases its report on Australia’s opioid pharmacotherapy system, Opioid pharmacotherapy at the crossroads: Enduring barriers and new opportunities. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities of the current landscape, including recommendations to stabilise the fragile system and make it more accessible and effective. Request a copy of the […]
Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023 Reveals Alarming Trends: Urgent Action Needed to Address National Crisis
Penington Institute has released Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023, which highlights the devastating impact of drug-induced deaths in Australia. Using data across a 20-year period, the report demonstrates the nature of an escalating crisis that begs for urgent and comprehensive policy reform. Penington Institute’s CEO John Ryan said the report findings are cause for concern […]
ABC News: Annual report finds use of opioids drives up accidental fatal overdoses
Penington Institute’s report, Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023, was featured on ABC National News this month, emphasising that over 20 years from 2001 over 37,000 Australian have lost their lives to overdose. Watch the coverage here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-27/annual-report-finds-use-of-opioids-drive-up-overdoses/102782300
Overdose in Australia: Launching Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023
https://youtu.be/1w6OwofqSa8?si=umlFNny_Y9HL03JJ Watch the full webinar above, recorded live on 28 August 2023. On 28 August, Penington Institute will launch Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2023 in a public webinar. The webinar will include an opening address from Penington Institute’s CEO, John Ryan, a presentation of the key findings from the report by Dr Karen Gelb, and […]
The Guardian: Melbourne has had Australia’s worst heroin addiction for years. Why can’t the city kick its habit?
CEO John Ryan spoke to Adeshola Ore from The Guardian about Victoria’s high per capita consumption of heroin, that it could be influenced by lower state government investment in opioid substitution treatment. “It’s relied on too few GPs to do too much work and no back up services to support them.” Read the full article in […]
The Age: ‘Canary in the coal mine’, Alert for deadly fentanyl shipments at our borders
Penington Institute’s CEO John Ryan spoke to reporter Melissa Cunningham from The Age about the risks of illicit fentanyl supply reaching Australia. “I think there’s a significant risk for Australia. The police detected 11 kilos of fentanyl last year and that is the canary in the coal mine because it means at least some traffickers […]
SBS Dateline: How Pam’s son unknowingly took a drug that killed him
As overdose deaths continue to climb in the US and Canada, driven by fentanyl and other synthetic substances in the unregulated drug market, a growing number of community groups are calling for safe supply. Penington Institute CEO John Ryan spoke to reporter Sophie Bennett about what implications the North American crisis might have for Australia. […]
Welcome commitment from Australian Government to improve patient access to essential medicines for opioid dependence treatment
Penington Institute firmly welcomes the announcement in the 2023-24 Budget that the Australian Government will commit $377.3 million dollars over 4 years to improving access to opioid dependence treatment medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This commitment will significantly improve affordability and access to these essential medicines for tens of thousands of Australians. From […]