Purple Pen Podcast

In a bumper episode for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020, Jane and Kristin spoke to Tony Lai. Tony is the Senior Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist at Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney.

Here's a list of the medicines that Tony discussed (and Jane and Kristin struggled to pronounce):

• cefidericol

• eravacycline

• rezafungin

• ibrexafungerp

• MAT2203 (Oral Ambisome)

Kristin and Dan chat with Prof Pablo Fernandez-Peñas about all things Dermatology. Pablo is Head of the Department of Dermatology at Westmead Hospital in Sydney and Professor in Dermatology at Sydney Medical School (The University of Sydney).

We went back to basics in this episode to understand the basis for prescribing topical products in common dermatological conditions. We also discussed the old chestnut about using steroid creams "sparingly" and why an expensive product won't necessarily give you a better outcome.

Kristin catches with up Prof Simon Finfer, intensive care clinician and researcher and professor at The George Institute. They discuss all things sepsis, from identifying sepsis, early management, complications and new research being undertaken.

It's World Mental Health Day. Dan and Kristin caught up with Dr Mark Cross, Psychiatrist and author. They discuss a range of mental health topics:

• changes in mental health literacy at a population level

• the mental health of health professionals

• mental health and well being in challenging times

• best practice prescribing of psychotropic medicines

You can read more about Mark's work and his new book on the SANE Australia website.

Kristin is joined by Simon Lewis, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney to discuss Parkinson's Disease.

We find out about:

• The link between COVID-19, Parkinson's disease and your sense of smell

• Risk factors and causes of Parkinson's disease

• Non-motor features of Parkinson's disease

• Therapeutic options for Parkinson's disease

• Potential future therapies on their way

Kristin and Dan caught up with Alicia Martin, author of the recent paper Gender balance in pharmacy leadership: Are we making progress?. We discuss Alicia's findings and how well Australian pharmacy organisations are doing at representing women in leadership positions.

Alicia's paper on Science Direct

Follow Alicia on twitter

Kristin and Dan spoke to Professor Steve Vucic about Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Steve is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Director of Neurophysiology and Consultant Neurologist at Westmead Hospital in Sydney.

We spoke about the basics of MND, current treatments and what the future may hold.

You can learn more about Steve's work here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/steve-vucic.html

Kristin spoke to Dr Natasha Andreadis AKA the "Fanny Mechanic" a Integrative Fertility Specialist Gynaecologist Health Coach about all things In vitro fertilisation

In another best-of collection to celebrate our 100th episode, here are Kristin's Top Five favourite episodes:

Episode 65 - Surgery in the Victorian Era with Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, Author of "The Butchering Art"

Episode 83 - The Unexpected when you're Expecting with Dr Nisha Khot

Episode 72 - Is your postcode making you sick? The Australian Atlas of Health Variation - with Professor Anne Duggan & Meredith Page

Episode 93 - Ophthalmic Emergencies with Dr Tanya Karaconji

Episode 73 - Faecal Microbiota Transplants with Dr Sam Costello

In another best-of collection to celebrate our 100th episode, here are Jane's Top Five favourite episodes:

• Episode 64: Are We Wasting Our Patient's Time? with Brian Dolan

• Episode 20: Heart Failure with Rochelle Gellatly

• Episode 59: Interventions to Improve Analgesic Prescribing with Jenny Stephens

• Episode 80: Peri-operative medicines management with Tanya Selak

• Episode 99: National Reconciliation Week with Chastina Heck and Aleena Williams