As the new year dawned, Heidi Everett, an artist adn disability advocate living with schizophrenia, faced a terrifying reality: she couldn’t find the medication she relies on. Instead of celebrating, she spent New Year’s Eve desperately driving between pharmacies, her anxiety mounting with each fruitless search.
“I was crying in the chemist and I couldn’t hold myself together, because I’m terrified of what happens if I don’t take my meds,” Everett said.
Everett’s experiance is unluckily not unique. quetiapine,an essential antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder,is currently facing a nationwide shortage in Australia.
What is Quetiapine?
Quetiapine is a type of antipsychotic medication used to treat a range of mental health conditions, including:
* Schizophrenia
* Bipolar disorder
* Mania
* Hard-to-treat depression
* Anxiety
A common brand name for quetiapine is Seroquel, though it is indeed also sold under other names such as Quetia and Syquet.
Quetiapine Shortage Leaves Patients Struggling
A nationwide shortage of the commonly prescribed medication quetiapine has left individuals with mental health conditions facing notable challenges. The drug,used to treat a range of mental health disorders,is currently unavailable in many pharmacies across the country.
Heidi, a patient who relies on quetiapine to manage her symptoms, discovered the extent of the shortage through social media. After sharing her concerns online, she was inundated with responses from individuals experiencing the same problem.
“In our moment of need, we’re [people with complex mental health ] the ones that have had to work out how to get through this,” Heidi said.
Manufacturing Issues Blamed
Pharmaceutical companies Arrotex, sandoz, and Accord Healthcare, who manufacture the generic versions of quetiapine, have attributed the shortage to manufacturing constraints. They maintain that choice generic products are available.
However, many patients, including those who have tried the brand-name version Seroquel, are finding it tough to locate any form of quetiapine. Several pharmacies contacted by the media confirmed they were wholly out of stock.
This shortage is causing significant distress for individuals relying on quetiapine to manage their mental health . As heidi’s story highlights, the lack of access to this essential medication is forcing patients to navigate challenging situations and seek alternative solutions.
A shortage of a common antipsychotic medication, quetiapine, is causing concern for patients and pharmacists nationwide. The shortage,which has been ongoing for several weeks,has left many pharmacies struggling to fill prescriptions for the drug,which is commonly used to treat conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Jenna Cormack, a pharmacist, has witnessed firsthand the impact of the shortage, stating, “we’ve had people calling dozens of pharmacies trying to source the medication that they desperately need.”
While the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) suggested using higher doses of available quetiapine, cutting them into smaller portions, Cormack highlighted the practical challenges associated with this solution. She explained, “There’s no guarantee you’re getting an exact 25mg dose.”
Concerns about Side Effects
Individuals taking quetiapine are advised against abruptly stopping the medication due to potential side effects or a risk of relapse. Suddenly discontinuing the drug can led to withdrawal symptoms.
Medication Shortage Raises Fears for Tasmanians with Mental Illness
A shortage of a crucial medication used to treat a range of mental health conditions is causing significant concern for those who rely on it. Heidi, a Tasmanian woman who manages complex mental health challenges, explains how the lack of access to this medication could have devastating consequences.
Heidi relies on the medication to manage symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and insomnia, which can exacerbate her mental health conditions. “I’ve experienced suicidal depression and suicidal episodes as recently as the last few months, so that can all happen within about two weeks if I stop this medication,” she revealed.
Dr. Toby Gardner, chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in Tasmania, confirmed that GPs are only just becoming aware of the shortage. They are primarily learning about it from pharmacists and patients who are forced to seek alternatives.
Heidi emphasizes the urgency of the situation, stating, “I don’t wont to end up back in a psych ward as there’s no medication.” She calls on health authorities to prioritize accessible healthcare for people with complex mental health needs, including ensuring steady medication supplies or providing clear dialog when shortages occur.
Heidi’s story highlights the crucial need for reliable access to essential medications for individuals managing mental health challenges.
Quetiapine Shortage Highlights Concerns Over Medication Supply in Australia
A shortage of the antipsychotic drug quetiapine has raised concerns about Australia’s medication supply chain and the potential impact on vulnerable patients.
The shortage, affecting both 25mg and 300mg tablets, has been attributed to manufacturing and supply chain disruptions. While the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) anticipates resolution of the 25mg shortage by late February,the 300mg tablets are expected to remain in short supply until June 20,2025.
Dr. Toby Gardner,Chair of the RACGP Tasmania and a GP practice owner,expressed concerns about the potential consequences for patients. ”People could have acute psychotic episodes if they weren’t able to access the medication,” he said. While alternative antipsychotics exist, the process of switching medications is complex and cannot be done abruptly, making it difficult for doctors to quickly adjust treatment plans.
Dr.Gardner believes that quetiapine is one of several critical medications Australia needs to stockpile in larger quantities. “We’d love to see even mandates put on minimum supplies of medications being held on shore, particularly those that are critical for people to not stop suddenly,” he stated.
Heidi Everett, another advocate for better medication security, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for authorities to do more to prepare for such shortages and minimize their impact on patients.
With the TGA acknowledging ongoing supply chain challenges, the shortage of quetiapine highlights the need for proactive measures to ensure a reliable supply of essential medications for Australian patients.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Single Page Applications
Modern web development often involves a choice between customary multi-page websites and Single Page Applications (SPAs). SPAs have gained popularity due to their ability to deliver highly responsive and dynamic user experiences. However, like any technology , they have both advantages and disadvantages.
What Makes SPAs So Appealing?
One of the primary benefits of SPAs is their exceptional responsiveness. They excel in scenarios where rapid interaction and fluid transitions are essential. A classic example often cited is Gmail [[1](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21862054/single-page-request-advantages-and-disadvantages)].
This type of application is built to load a single HTML page and dynamically update its content as the user interacts with it. This approach eliminates the need for full page reloads, resulting in a faster and smoother user experience.
The Potential Downsides
while SPAs offer compelling benefits, it’s crucial to consider their potential drawbacks. One significant disadvantage is that they might not be as well-suited for search engine optimization (SEO) as traditional websites. Search engines often struggle to crawl and index the dynamically generated content of SPAs, which can impact a website’s visibility in search results.
Furthermore, SPAs can be more complex to develop and maintain compared to traditional multi-page sites. They often require a deeper understanding of JavaScript frameworks and libraries.
This appears to be the start of a news article about a shortage of the medication quetiapine in Australia. Here’s a breakdown of the key points and some insights:
**Key Points:**
* **Quetiapine Shortage:** There is a shortage of quetiapine, an antipsychotic medication, in Australia, affecting both the 25mg and 300mg tablets.
* **Impact on Patients:** This shortage is causing meaningful concern for individuals who rely on quetiapine to manage their mental health conditions. Abruptly stopping the medication can lead to withdrawal symptoms and potential relapse.
* **Heidi’s Story:** The article features Heidi, a Tasmanian woman with complex mental health challenges, who relies on quetiapine to manage symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and insomnia. She fears the consequences of not having access to the medication.
* **Concerns from Medical Professionals:** Dr. Toby Gardner, Chair of the RACGP Tasmania, raises concerns about the potential for acute psychotic episodes in patients who cannot access quetiapine. He advocates for stockpiling critical medications like quetiapine.
* **Calls for Action:** The article highlights calls for authorities to prioritize accessible healthcare for people with mental health needs and ensure a steady supply of essential medications.
**Insights:**
* **Vulnerability of Mental Health Patients:** The article underscores the vulnerability of individuals with mental health conditions who rely on medication to manage their symptoms.
* **Importance of Medication Supply Chains:** The quetiapine shortage exposes the fragility of medication supply chains and the potential impact on patient health .
* **Need for Stockpiling Critical Medications:** The article advocates for stockpiling critical medications to ensure availability during shortages.
* **Advocacy for Mental Health :** Heidi’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of advocating for accessible and reliable mental health care.
**Possible Next Sections:**
The article likely will continue by:
* **Examining the Causes:** Delving into the reasons behind the quetiapine shortage, such as manufacturing and supply chain disruptions.
* **Exploring Solutions:** Discussing potential solutions to address the shortage, including alternative medications, stockpiling strategies, and government interventions.
* **Sharing Additional Patient Stories:** Highlighting the experiences of other individuals affected by the shortage.
* **Providing Expert Commentary:** Including insights from pharmacists, mental health professionals, and policymakers.
* **concluding with a Call to Action:** Urging readers to contact their elected officials and advocate for improved medication security.VIDEO
This appears to be the start of a news article about a shortage of the medication quetiapine in Australia, followed by a sudden shift into a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of Single Page applications (SPAs) in web development.
**Here’s a possible explanation for this discontinuity:**
* **Accidental Copying and Pasting:** The writer might have been working on two different documents and accidentally pasted the SPA section into the middle of the news article.
* **Placeholder Text:** The SPA section could be placeholder text that was intended to be replaced later with more relevant content related to the medication shortage.
* **Draft in Progress:** It’s possible this is an incomplete draft, and the writer intended to connect the two topics somehow (perhaps discussing the use of SPAs in telehealth platforms or online pharmacies).
* **Technical Glitch:** There might have been a technical error during the document creation or editing process, causing the two unrelated sections to be joined.
**To make the article coherent, you should:**
1. **Identify the correct content:** Determine which section is relevant to the intended topic.
2. **Remove the extraneous section:** Delete the SPA discussion if it’s not relevant. If it is somehow related, see if you can create a smooth transition between the two topics.
3. **Proofread the article:** Carefully review the remaining content for any grammatical errors or inconsistencies.VIDEO