HOLIDAY IN THE PHILIPPINES - · PDF fileGeneral Practitioner Mooroopna, Vic. Dr Leonie Hunt,...

March 13, 2014

Hi all,

Hope all is going well out there this week. The quarterly report from Cegidim on doctor feedback is in and you all have done very well. As a total group we have ranked 2nd in the industry and individual teams have ranked 2nd Aspen, 3rd Arrow and 6th Lennon. As these are summary of 7 criteria Professional Behaviour, Information Quality, Relationship, Ability to handle questions, Persuasiveness, Flexible and Adaptive, Knowledgable, it is truly great result all round. 93% of doctors who listened to a Zaldiar message indicated an intention to increase prescribing, 75% of Enablix and 66% of Imigran. As each product is in a different part of its life cycle the outcomes are comparable. Well done everyone!! Your State Managers will go through the full reports at your next meetings.

At this moment, Sales are rolling in nicely for March. I am on holiday next week. Think I will go to NSW for a look around. Only emergency expenses and invoices will be processed next week.

Have a good weekend.

ZaldiarKeflex, Zinnat, Klacid, Ceclor

EloconWarfarinsFerinjectCymbaltaZyprexa

Other productsOTC (Bio-Oil, Dermeze)

CircadinEvista

SalofalkEnablex

Sandrena, T-N Momex, Mesasal

OTC (Cartia/Coloxyl)

ZaldiarAnti-bioticsFerinjectEvista

WarfarinElocon

Tritace, Triasyn, Cardizem, PravacholT-N

CircadinCymbalta & AndepraZyprexa & LanzekDexamphetamine

SandrenaOther products & OTC products

BudenofalkSalofalkUrosfalkFerinject

ActiqTevaGrastim

BusulfexFerriproxZaldiar

Zofran OncologyColoxyl

Imuran, Gliadel

Amoxil, Augmentin DuoLamictal Bipolar & Epilepsy

Imigran + NaramigValtrex

Oroxine + EutroxicAropaxChlorsig

Quilonum, Zantac, ZybanOTC (Ural)

Zofran - PONVNimbexRobinulZeffix

Aspen GP Arrow GPAspen Hospital Orphan LennonCurrent Detail Order

Quote of the

WeekGraeme Downey’s

IT IS TRUE THAT MONEY TALKS.UNFORTUNATELY TO MOST OF US IT SAYS “GOODBYE“

The WeeklyNewsletter

March 13, 2014

By Raquel Falken

I recently presented this paper to my Perth colleagues at our State meeting. Since it is not a new paper, some of you may certainly have seen it before however I thought I would share it with you all given the fact that it is still pertinent to what we do everyday and is certainly an interesting read as we consider some of

the facts he presents such as the doctors time and money as well as the cost of the visit to the company.

Prof Day questions whether it is possible to gain more value from the visit of a drug company representative. He provides the doctors with some insight into how to obtain the maximum benefit from the visit.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF A VISIT FROM A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY REPRESENTATIIVE

A PAPER BY RICHARD DAY, PROF OF PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY, ST VINCENT’S HOSPITAL AND UNIVERSITY OF NSW.

AUSTRALIAN PRECRIBER, 2000

99

Australian Prescriber Vol. 23 No. 5 2000

F U R T H E R R E A D I N G

Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. Code of Conduct ofthe Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. 13th ed. Sydney:Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association Inc; 2000.Roughead EE, Harvey KJ, Gilbert AL. Commercial detailing techniques usedby pharmaceutical representatives to influence prescribing. Aust N Z J Med1998;28:306-10.Sandhu GS, Day RO. Factors affecting prescribing in general practice – a roleplay. Med J Aust 1992;157:621-2.Day R. Pharmaceutical company promotion: striking a balance [editorial].Aust N Z J Med 1998;28:291-3.

Your questions to the PBACI note the list of generic brands in the ‘New drugs’ section ofeach edition. I wonder how many will have the samebioavailability as their competitors?The matter of bioavailability is of concern to my patients whofrequently speak of coercion to accept a strange brand currentlystocked in the pharmacy. The reported variability of effectexperienced by patients, for example in swapping brands offrusemide, cannot be lightly dismissed as anecdotal.I am very doubtful that equal weights of drugs translate tobioequivalence, but would be pleased to be reassured that thisis so. If generic drugs are not bioequivalent, then the partiesconcerned should be aware of the differences.Perhaps Australian Prescriber could provide a service to itsreaders by documenting the bioavailability studies done oneach generic registered for inclusion on the PharmaceuticalBenefits Scheme? The name of the testing laboratory, itsownership, the techniques used, the quality control standardsemployed and the number of samples taken, should all be onthe public record and available to all.John MackellarGeneral PractitionerMooroopna, Vic.

Dr Leonie Hunt, Drug Safety and Evaluation Branch,Therapeutic Goods Administration, comments:The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the bodyresponsible for the registration of medicines in Australia,including generic equivalents of prescription medicinalproducts. Applications for generic products, which are claimedto be essentially similar to an innovator product, must includebioavailability data which demonstrate that the proposedproduct is bioequivalent to a leading brand of the medicineavailable in Australia. Guidance in relation to how abioequivalence study should be conducted is available tosponsors of medicinal products in the document issued by theCommission of the European Communities entitled‘Investigation of Bioavailability and Bioequivalence’.Further information is available from the TGA web site(www.tga.health.gov.au/) and the Committee for ProprietaryMedicinal Products web site (www.eudra.org/humandocs/humans/qwp.htm).

In general, a comparison of the time course of the bloodconcentrations of the drug resulting from administration of thetwo brands to a group of volunteers is required. Comparison ofthe rate and extent of absorption of the drug from the twoproducts is conducted by a statistical analysis usinginternationally recognised methods. A decision whether toregister the generic product is then made taking these resultsinto account. Modified-release products, such as delayed-releasetablets and slow-release tablets, may require studies to beconducted under a variety of conditions to confirm equivalence.Where there is any doubt as to the bioequivalence of the twoproducts, the TGA is able to seek advice from the independentexpert committee, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee.The actual data sets, on which decisions to register individualproducts are made, may contain commercially confidentialinformation. They are not usually available to the public.

Associate Professor R. Moulds of the Executive EditorialBoard, comments:Dr Mackellar’s concern is a common one. The regulatoryprocesses outlined by Dr Hunt are good at ensuring the plasmaconcentrations of a generic drug are similar to those obtainedwith the ‘innovator’ brand of the drug, usually the marketleader. The limits allow for differences of no more than 20%in the overall plasma concentration versus time curves of thetwo drugs.It is a more difficult question whether or not such allowabledifferences might be noticed by a patient. The intraindividualvariation in plasma levels of a drug when it is taken ondifferent occasions is usually greater than 20%. So a patientwill probably only genuinely notice a difference betweenvarious brands of a drug if they also notice a difference whenthey take the same brand on different occasions.A patient is also only likely to notice a difference betweenbrands if the drug has a steep concentration-effect curve, sothat a 20% change in concentration results in a significantchange of effect. Few drugs have such a steep curve.There are very few clear examples where differences betweenbrands of a drug are clinically important. One very importantexception, however, is that of warfarin, and patients shouldnot shift from one brand of warfarin to another.

Self-test questions

The following statements are either true or false(answers on page 111)

3. Pharmaceutical promotion has no effect onprescribing patterns.

4. The Code of Conduct of the AustralianPharmaceutical Manufacturers Association coversthe interaction between health professionals anddrug company representatives.

E-mail: [email protected]

AspenContactCentre 1300 659 646

98


Although a drug might be efficacious and registered for aparticular indication it may be inappropriate to use it in allcases of that indication. For example, a new drug might havean indication for pneumonia approved by the TGA, but if it isa broad spectrum and expensive antibiotic it would be aninappropriate first choice for the average patient withpneumonia. Another useful question is to ask what a reputableand well-known guidelines publication, such as ‘AntibioticGuidelines’4, says about the place of this drug in themanagement of the condition. Often such guidelines do notrecommend new drugs, certainly not as the first choice.

SafetyPharmaceutical representatives are less likely to dwell onadverse effects or interactions. This is not surprising, but itmeans that you may need to ask. The PI is helpful as it listscontraindications and the reported frequencies of adverseeffects. It is often helpful to run through these parts of the PIwith the pharmaceutical representative. Apart from the knownadverse drug reactions, you would also want to hear aboutcritical drug interactions, for example with warfarin.Increasingly, it is important to know about the metabolism ofa new drug and the potential drug interactions which canresult. For example, drugs that are metabolised by or block thehepatic cytochrome P450 enzyme system are subject to alarge number of potential interactions. As these details areoften used in comparing one drug with another, having access(perhaps via the pharmaceutical representative) to a good,recent review or article in a reputable journal is useful.

UtilityUsually the combination of a drug’s efficacy and safetyfeatures determines its value in our patients. Its efficacy maybe similar to older drug therapies, but an advantage thatmight induce us to prescribe the drug for some of our patientscould be a better safety profile. Claims of greater utility, thatis the efficacy to safety ratio combined with factors such asconvenience due to a better dosing schedule, or a cost advantagefor the individual or the taxpayer, may be the argument forprescribing a new drug. You will also want to know otherpractical details, such as dosing with food, and whether youneed to adjust the dose in the elderly or those with impairmentof kidney or hepatic function.Some of the claims made by the pharmaceutical representativewill be supported with evidence beyond that found in the PI.This is where you might ask for a copy of the evidenceto peruse later, for example original papers. Pharmaceuticalrepresentatives are generally very pleased to provide you withscientific papers or to seek additional information from theirmedical information departments to support their position.They should also be able to provide you with a copy of theconsumer medicine information.

Precautions

Most of us with experience of interacting with pharmaceuticalrepresentatives recognise some of the sales methods theycommonly use. These include appealing to your pride, forexample ‘Of course you know the latest treatment for this

condition’, or telling you that your colleagues are switching tothe detailed product. The representative may also tell you thatwell-known leaders in the relevant specialties are switchingtheir prescribing to the drug. Offering samples is a familiarploy to induce some feeling of commitment from you to try thedrug out on a few of your patients. This feeling is perhapsassisted with the giving of some practice-relevant gifts orbrand reminders, such as pens and notepads.

Complaints

There may be situations where you feel that the pharmaceuticalrepresentative has displayed inappropriate bias or given youmisleading information. If this is the case then complain to thepharmaceutical company (usually the medical department isbest) or, if this proves unsatisfactory, the APMA.* Everymonth the APMA has a meeting to discuss such complaints.3

More complaints about the practices of pharmaceuticalrepresentatives will be extremely effective in improving thequality of pharmaceutical representatives’ visits, and theirvalue to prescribers.

Conclusion

By now time is almost up. About 5–15 minutes is all you mightallocate to a pharmaceutical representative. Essentially thepharmaceutical representative’s visit can be used to boostyour knowledge concerning efficacy, safety and utility ofdrugs. Remember that pharmaceutical representatives arewell-trained individuals, generally with good communicationskills and knowledge, who are keen to assist you inunderstanding the advantages of their product. Respectfulcommunication combined with an enquiring and critical attitudewill allow you to obtain the maximum benefit possible fromthe time you invest in the meeting. Indeed, you might reasonablybe aggrieved if the visit is not helpful, at least in part, becauseyou have forgone the income from a consultation while talkingto the representative. Increasingly, undergraduate medicalcourses provide training including role-play to help futureprescribers understand and perhaps profit more from seeingrepresentatives. Given the significance of detailing to prescribereducation, perhaps more attention needs to be paid to equippingcurrent prescribers to deal more effectively with detailers.

R E F E R E N C E S

1. Avorn J, Chen M, Hartley R. Scientific versus commercial sourcesof influence on the prescribing behavior of physicians. Am J Med1982;73:4-8.

2. Griffith D. Reasons for not seeing drug representatives [editorial]. Br MedJ 1999;319:69-70.

3. Roughead EE. The Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers AssociationCode of Conduct: guiding the promotion of prescription medicines. AustPrescr 1999;22:78-80.

4. Writing Group for Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic. TherapeuticGuidelines: Antibiotic. 10th ed. Melbourne: Therapeutic GuidelinesLimited; 1998. http://www.tg.com.au

* Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers AssociationTelephone 02 9922 2699; fax 02 9959 4860

97


How to make the most of a visit from apharmaceutical company representative

Richard Day, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, St Vincent’sHospital and University of New South Wales, Sydney

SYNOPSIS

Representatives of pharmaceutical companies visit healthprofessionals principally to promote the prescription oftheir products. While the visit aims to change theprescriber’s behaviour, it is also an opportunity for thehealth professional to obtain important information.Modern representatives are well trained and should beable to answer questions about a drug’s efficacy, safety,utility and cost. However practitioners should be awarethat the purpose of the visit is to alter their prescribingand there is the potential that the information theyreceive will be biased in favour of the product. Mostrepresentatives follow a code of conduct drawn up by theAustralian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.Complaints can be made to this association if therepresentative promotes a product inappropriately.Index words: advertising, drug industry, prescribing.

(Aust Prescr 2000;23:97–9)

Introduction

Whether we like it or not, visits from the representativesof pharmaceutical companies influence our prescribingpractices.1 For many prescribers, drug company representativesare the main source of information about new drugs and animportant factor in changing prescribing behaviour. Althoughmost doctors when asked do not believe they are undulyinfluenced by pharmaceutical representatives, researchshows that they are.1

Doctors can choose not to see drug company representatives.This has the advantages of saving time and money.2 If we dodecide to accept a visit from a pharmaceutical representative(and about 85% of general practitioners do) is it possible togain more value from the visit?

Who are the representatives?

Pharmaceutical representatives, or detailers, have beenselected from applicants who may have degrees in nursing,pharmacy or science. Increasingly, they undertake theAustralian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association(APMA) sponsored course for pharmaceutical representatives.This course is run by an Australian university and has beenrated highly in independent annual reviews. It covers a rangeof important topics including a detailed study of the APMA’svoluntary code of conduct on promotional practices.3

Each pharmaceutical representative receives intensiveinstruction about the product they will be promoting and howto market it. If there are competing products, obviously thecharacteristics favouring their own company’s product will befocused upon and contrasts drawn with the competitors.Information about the diseases for which the drug is indicatedwill almost always be taught to the pharmaceuticalrepresentative. The depth and quality of the education andpreparation of the pharmaceutical representative will varywith the pharmaceutical company, the importance of theproduct and the stage in the ‘life-cycle’ of the drug. Most effortwill be expended when a new drug is being released. Therepresentative may also be involved in briefing andfamiliarisation programs aimed at relevant specialists whoare influential because of the letters they write and theopinions they give to general practitioners.Detailing is just one part of a sophisticated marketing effortbut it is very influential and a substantial investment forpharmaceutical companies. Each visit probably costs thecompany around $200.

What to ask

Doctors need to know about the efficacy, safety and utility ofnew products. The fact that a drug has been registered for aparticular indication means that the evidence for the efficacyand safety of the drug for that indication has been accepted byour regulatory authority, the Therapeutic Goods Administration(TGA). However, what about efficacy, safety and utility in ourown patients? This is the question we should return to often.

EfficacyThe question to ask is how does the new drug compare with thedrug you usually use for that condition? If it does not seemmuch better, why would you prescribe the new drug? Thepharmaceutical representative needs to know that you wouldlike to be convinced by good evidence that the new drug isworth consideration. Remember that the product information(PI) for the drug is the equivalent of the Bible when it comesto key information about the drug. The PI has been reviewed,amended and finally approved by the TGA after muchnegotiation with the pharmaceutical company. Increasingly,the PI contains useful details about the ‘pivotal’ clinical trialsof the new drug. These are the trials that are used to support theregistration of the drug. The pivotal trials may compare thenew drug with standard, accepted therapy.


March 13, 2014

By Robert Cue

My wife and I had a fantastic holiday break in the Philippines. Lot’s of parties, meeting old friends even catching up with my old workmates from 30 yrs ago during my days with Wyeth Philippines.

One interesting thing happened while my wife and I were in a shopping mall looking for a nice place to dine. There was this long queue of people and we thought this must be a nice place to have a meal. My wife Bernadette then said to me, “Is that an Aspen Banner”? I looked and said “yes, it is”.

I was so trilled and excited to accidentally see that Aspen Philippines was having a doctor’s clinical meeting that evening. I then approached the registration table and introduced myself as Aspen Australia. Then, two of their doctors attending

the meeting knew me from my days with Wyeth Philippines and we had a good chat and laugh’s.

This photo include their senior product manager (left lady on photo), District manager (gent on my left) and Professional sales rep. (lady on my right)

They were all pleased to know me and funny they all address me as “Sir”. Well, how about that.

Never expected to meet up with some Aspen Philippine people. Great stuff.

Robert Cue

HOLIDAY IN THE PHILIPPINES


March 13, 2014

A fast and easy wayto submit your articles toThe Weekly Newsletter.

The new online Article Submission Form is now available for you to share your stories, articles and pictures through The Weekly Newsletter.

To submit articles follow this link:

http://www.aspenpharma.com.au/weekly

Thanks for being part of The Weekly Newsletter,

NewLink


March 13, 2014

http://www.aspenpharma.com.au/weekly

By Rod McCallum

©Rod McCallum

It’s always exciting to be invited to a wedding, but when the wedding invitation is from an Indian colleague, and the venue his hometown in India, then that raises the level of anticipation enormously.

Late last year, my wife Ruth received the invitation from Jobin a nursing colleague who works for her at the John Fawkner Hospital in Melbourne. He was to marry his fiancé Faina, in their home state of Kerala that is in the southwest region of the country. Faina it should be said has never been to Australia and met Jobin on one of his regular trips back home.

What a fabulous opportunity we thought to not only experience a wedding of a different culture, but to also have the opportunity to tour a country that was as diverse and sometimes confronting as its reputation would have it.

The first hurdle however, was not passports, tickets, finances, or anything to do with travel, it was securing the time off with my good manager Ewen Hoggarth. The days were needed just on the wrong side of the Aspen conference when we were expected to be front and centre to attack the new year full of enthusiasm. Thankfully Ewen saw it for what it was and gladly approved the leave (thanks Ewen, cheque’s in the mail!).

Ruth and I planned a two week trip that took in the main sights of India (and the wedding of course), and bookended that with a two day stopover in KL. Our itinerary included Delhi of course, Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur (The Pink City), Kerala, Goa, and Bombay (Mumbai). Our wedding hosts in Kerala had contacts with the houseboat (kettuvallam) tour operators that meant we were also provided with a beautiful night in the backwaters and lakes of this region.

The lead up to weddings in India takes a different course to those in Australia, but the party scene is just as boisterous, possibly even more so. Ruth and I joined a massive party at Jobin’s house in Kerala, two days before the wedding. Here the groom was blessed in a Christian ceremony led by the local priest and in front of sixty or so friends and relatives. Then the party commenced with beautiful Indian cuisine that included all varieties of curries, rice dishes, desserts and washed down with copious amounts of beer, whisky, brandy and other delights. Wines aren’t commonly drunk in India so yours truly remained on the Kingfisher beer (a local brew which later made for a night of broken sleep which I won’t elaborate on!!!). The band played and the party continued but there was one person missing – the bride!

©Rod McCallum

ROD AND RUTH MCCALLUM’S VIEW OF INDIA


March 13, 2014

©Rod McCallum

The bride, Faina meanwhile was at her house I believe making final preparations for the big day in two days time. Her party with family and friends was just a few days before Jobin’s and it followed a similar course.

And so the big day arrived. The church was saturated with colour as the ladies donned their best silk sarees that covered the spectrum and the bride looked typically radiant with the most ornate dress. Ruth couldn’t believe the detail in the wedding dress and commented that it would have taken months to make.

©Rod McCallum

©Rod McCallum

©Rod McCallum

The actual ceremony (late morning) took about ninety minutes and was closely aligned to a nuptial mass as we might know it, only with variations. No hymns or singing but lost of prayers and chanting in Hindi. Fascinating.

With Jobin and Faina now married, any red-blooded Aussie would expect me to tell the tale of the reception; of the copious amounts of food and refreshments; of the loud music and dancing till midnight and the morning after the night before. But not so my friends. This is where it really departs from the Australian norm.

©Rod McCallum


March 13, 2014

In India apparently, the wedding reception is open to the guests together with anyone in the local community who wants to pay their respects to the bride and groom. In this case around six hundred people who were known to the families joined in the reception that was held in the parish hall, a very large parish hall let me tell you. But then as quickly as lunch was served, it was cleared away and all but the invited guests and friends left to return to work. That’s how the Indians do it apparently. The bride and groom meanwhile were served lunch (on the stage mind you), and then changed into their casual going away gear, posed for more photographs and then left for their first day of married life. What an experience. Ruth and I were honoured to have been invited to an authentic Indian wedding.

©Rod McCallum

India covers around 45% of the area of Australia. It has a population of 1.2 billion people and has the world’s seventh largest economy according to the statistics. It is full of diversity where overpopulation, poverty, corruption intermixes with wealth and power. It is a fascinating country to travel through and just when you think you’ve seen the worst of poverty, around the corner is a symbol of wealth. A good example of this is in Mumbai (Bombay), India’s largest city.

Ruth and I stayed in the Colaba district of Mumbai. From our hotel we could see the slums to our right. These slums were on the waters edge that was literally covered in rubbish and home to a thousand people perhaps more. They eked a living out of fishing and selling whatever they could catch. Their homes were made from remains of packaging materials, old boats, whatever and their beds were often only a blanket. But they appeared to be happy, content.

©Rod McCallum

To the left of our hotel however, and perhaps a driver and a nine iron away was the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, a symbol of wealth so much so that it was the scene of the horrendous terrorist attack in 2008. But for all its diversity, Mumbai is a thriving city and is superbly characterised in the novel “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts.

©Rod McCallum

Another extraordinary sight in Mumbai was the Dhobi Ghat. This site encloses an open air laundry where a team of young Indians (mainly slum dwellers) manually wash linen from the institutions (eg hospitals etc). The area is lined with concrete enclosures that are filled with chemical (probably bleach and/or soap). The cleaning process involves slashing the linen/clothing against the concrete several times until deemed clean then passed on to another person who rinses and wrings it dry. Then it is hung up to dry which in that weather doesn’t take long. I am told that this is a heritage site.


March 13, 2014

©Rod McCallum

If there was one icon that left us gob smacked for sheer size and beauty, it was the Taj Mahal in Agra. This huge, stunning iconic mausoleum exceeded our expectations and left us wondering just how they engineered such a structure so long ago.

©Rod McCallum

We travelled to the Pink City (Jaipur) and marveled at the Amber Fort.

©Rod McCallum

©Rod McCallum

Delhi of course, and gave ourselves a treat towards the end of our touring by staying in a resort in Goa on the Arabian Sea (where incidentally Ruth scared the living daylights out of me by coming within a bees diaphram of purchasing a large diamond!).

For anyone who’s thinking of a trip that demonstrates wealth, poverty, different cultures, two hundred (so I’m told) different dialects, seeing elephants and camels walking down streets, beautiful weather at this time of the year, driving techniques that scare the living fruitcake from you and all in a day, then India is for you..

There is one last thing. We were treated so well by Gets Holidays. They were faultless and their guides and drivers (you need them!) were skilled and professional. www.getsholidays.in

Rod and Ruth McCallum


March 13, 2014

By Renata Bukva

Well I knew the title of my article would capture your attention… but what if I asked you, would you prefer green ants or charcoal for dinner? Well what I got was both!

As you know in Adelaide it’s currently ‘Mad March’ – from the Adelaide Fringe, to WOMAD, to the Clipsal 500.

Last weekend I attended part of Adelaide’s Fringe, Lola’s Pergola. Let me first give you a brief rundown of: what is Lola’s Pergola.

Lola’s Pergola is an upcoming marquee on the Torrens Riverbank for the 2014 Adelaide Festival. It has a strong focus on good food and good wine, particularly for the First Fruit Degustation Dinners by several celebrated international chefs, each night showcasing a different unique menu. Lola’s Pergola also features an array of talented Australian and international DJs. Self-decribed as a “backyard picnic on the ultimate quarter acre block”.

Lola’s Pergola with a River Torrens view.

As beautiful as the atmosphere was and as excited as we were to experience a $130 per head Degustation Dinner by renowned international chefs – I must say, we picked the wrong night to dine, although it has left us with a good story!

First of the 5-course dinner was delicious - Bread with cultured butter and spent grapes. Tick of approval.

Second course I had to re-read twice - Beach flora, charcoal (yes charcoal, which the chef told us was “edible”) and raw clams!

Okay, I slightly panicked and had to mix the charcoal, raw clams and seaweed together to make a mush in order to camouflage what I was about to eat…. having said that it actually was delicious and the charcoal tasted like crunchy foam.

Charcoal dish.

Third course I started to sweat when reading it…. – Kangaroo tail, wild fruit and weeds.

All I could picture was a furry long skinny tail and I immediately felt slightly sick. Then it was served in a long wooden platter, with a long skinny furless tail chopped up in to 6 pieces. I gulped and couldn’t quite look at it. I then thought, I’m here, I paid $130 for this, I can’t leave without trying it.

I picked up the tail, closed my eyes, scrunched up my face, and ate it………… once again…… it was surprisingly delicious!

GREEN ANTS OR CHARCOAL?


March 13, 2014

Kangaroo tail.

Fourth course didn’t sound too bad – Sweetened Onions, mead, ewes milk.

Okay it sounds bad, but not inedible………… so I thought.

When the chef placed the dish in front of us, there were yellow little dots all over it. He told us that it was, dare I say it…….. bee sperm. I will let you process that for a minute before I continue.

I didn’t eat it. Neither did anyone else on my table.

Fifth course: Dessert! Finally! But wait for it……. - Carrot Molasses and green ants.

By this point all we could do was laugh. Green ants for dessert? The chef told us that when the green ants die, they release a defensive mechanism, which tastes like “lime”.

This dish wasn’t served on a plate…. we had to stand up and look at the branches above the table where carrot molasses was smeared and green ants placed on top…. some were dead, some were still crawling.

Picking at our dessert from a wooden branch above us.

Okay now I was really sweating…. I picked up an ant and put it in my mouth. Yes it in fact tasted like lime! I was quite surprised, but I couldn’t swallow it, just the thought of a crawly ant was enough to make me get my serviette and discreetly spit it out.

And last but not least… just so you don’t think I’m pulling your leg for a good story… here’s a photo of the menu (and a green ant):

Menu and a green ant.

Having said all of the above, it was actually a sensational evening, (albeit we were starving), but it was a fantastic venue, great music and atmosphere.I hope I gave you all a good snort chuckle because we were certainly laughing for days!

Goodbye and bon appetit.


March 13, 2014

By Peter Penn

It’s never dull day at Head Office when we have our own in-house humour.

Last week Peter had to be reminded that it wasn’t a fancy dress day when he came to the office looking like Where’s Wally. Nevertheless he blended in well to his expansive office and tried to a low key profile. But it was obvious we could see our own Where’s Wally! The new ‘mow job’ haircut and shirt kind of matched, he couldn’t hide today. Staff can’t wait to see what other adhoc fancy dress Pete will try out on us.

WHERE’S WALLY? PAYS A VISIT TO ASPEN HQ


March 13, 2014

By Genevieve Radnan

Gennarosity Abroad is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide education, skills and vocational training, health, literacy, clean water, employment, aid relief, and support to the populations in Africa. Starting out as the dream of one woman, Gennarosity Abroad is now a fully functional and established charity that has completed international development projects. The work we have done is only just the beginning to the difference we want to make in this world.

Gennarosity Abroad was nominated Top 10 for the MasterCard and UN Women’s Project Inspire; 5 Minutes to Change the World Competition, 2011, which aims to promote the empowerment of women around the world. Project Inspire was where we first presented the idea of our now completed, Grandma Jenny’s Training Centre. This year we have been nominated for the 2014 CALI Awards.

The main fundraiser going ahead for Gennarosity Abroad this year is The Brave Radnan Shave. From a young age, we are taught to believe by society and by the media, that to be a woman, and to be a beautiful woman at that, part of the condition is that you need to have long, shiny, soft, and well maintained hair. This is the ideal of femininity and beauty.

Here at Gennarosity Abroad, we believe that brains, a good heart, and the determination to succeed are what make you a strong woman. So, my sisters, Gabby and Steffi Radnan, and myself - all daughters of the Aspen Pharmacare employee, Warren Radnan - are going to shed this attachment to an aesthetic ideal and show that you can be a bald woman and you can still be

beautiful, and you can still be strong, and you can still be smart and talented.

The women in Africa who don’t have the luxury of having well-maintained hair prove this every day, and so we are going to do this in honour of them. And we are going to show our support for them by raising funds to help empower these women through education, namely at Grandma Jenny’s Training Centre. We are not going to supply them with beauty products, or give them makeovers, or buy them a new wardrobe. None of these things are important. We are giving them the opportunity to become strong women of the heart and the mind. And we will help them put forward their best asset; themselves.

You can follow the event, find where to donate and even volunteer to shave your head as well, by joining our Facebook event page; https://www.facebook.com/events/708642972521373/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Find out more about Gennarosity Abroad at our webpage; www.gennarosityabroad.org

Genevieve Radnan

THE BRAVE RADNAN SHAVE

You may have forgotten these items but they are still in demand with our customers.

Try handing these out and see the positive reaction you get. Tell your team members.

Lonely patient support material desperately needing a HomeDrivetime Radio - Effective Management of Insomnia in Patients over 55

www.aspenpharma.com.au


March 13, 2014

● 16th COLIN POLGLASE● 18th BARRY MCMAHON● 21th JOHN COUPER● 23th JACK HILTON● 23th CATRIN JACKSON

MarchBirthdays

By Ray Barnes

Is this the oldest magazine in a doctors waiting room. This one is October 1991.

Can any one else top that?

By Alex Girard

Can you help me Siri?

Text messages have become a very quick and convenient way to communicate these days. However, it can be quite time consuming to type a message on that small keypad, right? So one day I decided to give Siri a go (only available on iPhones) and see if it could understand my broken English... and it did!

Then one day whilst reading my team’s weekly reports, I came across a very, very long report... which might have taken hours to type! So I took my phone, and dictated to Siri a very long text to see how it would translate and it did an awesome job! No need to spend hours on the keyboard anymore!

So if there is anyone out there keen to save time by using today’s technology, I suggest you do the following:1- on your iPhone or iPad, go to your emails and open a new page2- dictate your weekly report content to Siri3- send the email to yourself4- simply copy/paste the content onto your weekly report5- voila!

You will save a lot of time by doing so.

Ps: for those Scottish and other South Africans fellows out there, don’t be upset if Siri gave up on your accent... ha ha!

Hope this will help some of you!

IS THIS THE OLDEST? TIPS FROM THE FIELD

HOLIDAY IN THE PHILIPPINES - · PDF fileGeneral Practitioner Mooroopna, Vic. Dr Leonie Hunt,...

Documents

Transcript of HOLIDAY IN THE PHILIPPINES - · PDF fileGeneral Practitioner Mooroopna, Vic. Dr Leonie Hunt,...