Consultant Histopathologist at Sligo Regional Hospital Dr Clive Kilgallen has spoken of how his colleagues are reporting “absolute exhaustion” as a result of their onerous rotas.

The IMO national meeting of GPs rejected the introduction by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) of any new online application for new medication approval “until such time as all potential referrers for these medications have easy access to it”.

The IMO wants the HSE, the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to make good on their commitments given in the Haddington Road Agreement to amalgamate the various consultant salary scales.

Cetuximab (Erbitux) – Update on revised recommendations for use and risk of infusion-related reactions Overview of revised recommendations for use Cetuximab* (Erbitux) is a chimeric monoclonal immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody directed against the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR).

Metoclopramide-Containing Medicines – Update on outcome of review and revised recommendations for use Metoclopramide* is an antiemetic, which has been authorised for many years for the treatment of a number of gastrointestinal disorders, including  nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and migraine, following surgery and in the management of gastrointestinal motility disorders.

Doctors have expressed fears that the universal health insurance (UHI) funding model as proposed for Ireland would potentially be a “gold mine for insurers” and result in lesser services at more cost for patients.

  GPs are being coerced into taking up primary care accommodation, the IMO Annual Meeting heard.

“Democracy, transparency and liberty” were invoked by Consultant Vascular Surgeon Prof Seán Tierney is his plea to IMO members not to support a motion restricting the practice of lawyers who work for the tobacco industry.

The IMO has described the inability to address waiting lists, overcrowding, NCHD working hours, and resource issues in health over the past 30 years as a failure of “political ambition, political vision and political will”.

A ‘must-read’ for those interested in neuroscience and cognitive psychology, Eric R Kandel’s The Age of Insight offers readers an intriguing  tour of the mind.