Latest news with #IanHickie
News.com.au
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Ex-Project star Em Rusciano slams show over segment: ‘Frankly dehumanising'
Former Project panellist Em Rusciano has publicly lambasted her former employer over what she branded a 'frankly dehumanising' segment which aired on the show recently. Rusciano, 46, was incensed with a segment about the overprescription of medication to treat ADHD – a condition she herself was diagnosed with four years ago. The Project hosts spoke to Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre, who claimed that 'we should really worry about inappropriate prescribing'. 'There's quite high figures and the figures have been going up, particularly in teenagers in Australia,' he warned. 'So, there's a real concern about the appropriateness – who's getting medications? Are they the kids in most need, and are they having the desired effect in educational and behavioural outcomes?' Rusciano, who was a regular panellist on the show between 2011 and 2022, took issue with his claims, posting an angry reaction to her 240,000-plus Instagram followers. 'Why does The Project continue to target the ND (neuro-divergent) community with these s***house, clickbait, and frankly dehumanising segments,' she wrote over a screenshot of the interview. 'Actually, get f***ed.' It's not the first time Rusciano has publicly criticised her former workplace. Back in 2023, amid a furore over a controversial Jesus joke by Reuben Kaye, she accused Network Ten of having 'thrown' their guest 'under the bus'. The queer comic, appearing as a guest on The Project in late February, spoke about the hate he had received for his sexuality and for dressing up in drag – particularly from the Christian community – before making the X-rated remark. 'I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more,' Kaye quipped on Tuesday night, prompting a stunned reaction from host Waleed Aly and a giggle from co-host Sarah Harris. The pair issued a grovelling on-air apology to their viewers the following day. But Rusciano took to Twitter in the aftermath to criticise the network for its handling of the issue. 'I find it pretty hard to believe that (Reuben Kaye)'s joke that stopped a nation wasn't script approved,' she tweeted. 'I've worked on The Project – VERY little is off the cuff! A tiny, tiny amount. They've flat out thrown him under the bus (in my opinion). Sorry, but someone had to say it.' Rusciano, 44, followed up with another tweet in support of Kaye. 'They honestly don't deserve him and his talent. I dunno if Australia deserves him! In the end, we always seem to champion the non-threatening and the mediocre.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Em Rusciano slams her former employer The Project over 'dehumanising' ADHD story in scathing post: 'Get f***ed'
Em Rusciano has slammed her former employer The Project after the Network Ten show aired a segment about ADHD this week. The podcaster, 46, was diagnosed with the condition four years ago and took severe umbrage with a segment about the overprescription of ADHD medication. The piece featured Professor Ian Hickie, co-director of the University Of Sydney 's Brain, And Mind Centre who warned of the dangers of 'inappropriate' ADHD prescriptions. 'We should really worry about inappropriate prescribing,' he said. 'There's quite high figures and the figures have been going up, particularly in teenagers in Australia. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'So, there's a real concern about the appropriateness - who's getting medications? Are they the kids in most need? And, are they having the desired effect in educational and behavioral outcomes?' The segment did not sit well with Rusciano, who took to social media to voice her displeasure. She took to her Instagram story on Wednesday to reshare a comment she posted under The Project's post of the segment. Pulling no punches, Rusciano slammed the segment as 'dehumanising' while claiming The Project 'targets' neurodivergent people. 'Why does The Project continue to target the ND community with these s***house, clickbait, and frankly dehumanising segments,' she said. She then offered the Network Ten current affairs show a final line of invective with 'Actually, get f***ed.' Rusciano was a regular panelist on The Project, appearing on the show from 2011 to 2022. it's not the first time Rusciano has taken aim at at her former employers. In 2023, she criticised the show over gay comedian Reuben Kaye's off-colour joke about Jesus Christ. She accused The Project of throwing Kaye 'under the bus' by distancing itself from him and offering a sombre apology stressing how 'deeply and needlessly offensive' his joke was. 'I find it pretty hard to believe that Reuben Kaye's joke that stopped a nation wasn't script-approved,' Rusciano tweeted. Rusciano's latest salvo comes after she slammed another former employer, Triple M, following former host Marty Sheargold's comments about the Matildas. Sheargold was axed from the network after telling listeners 'there's something wrong with the Matildas' before comparing the team to 'Year 10 girls'. Following the embattled host's dumping, Rusciano took to her Instagram story to claim there is an inherent misogynist culture at the network. Rusciano, who worked on the Triple M Perth breakfast show for four years, claimed to have experienced misogyny at the station first-hand. 'Fun fact,' the former 2DayFM star wrote began the post. 'When I went into MMM to meet with [an employee] in 2012 about possibly doing some stuff with them, I was told: "Unless you have a c*** and b***s, I don't care about your opinion".' Rusciano then went on to say that it was a sentiment that was shared regularly with staff. 'I later found out that he would also say that at the weekly team meetings. In front of actual people. Some of whom did NOT have a c*** and or b***s,' she said. In an accompanying video, she said she was glad that Australian women were speaking out about Sheargold's vile comments about women in sport. 'I just feel like he hit on a collective issue - Don't mess with the Matildas, don't degrade women's sport,' she added. 'We've just had enough. We were looking for a tipping point and weirdly enough it's some bogan on Bogan FM. Let's go, girls.' Rusciano's strong words came after she took to social media in February to slam the country's entire commercial radio sector. 'When are the Aussie PR gals, gays and theys going to stop handing their biggest interviews to commercial radio hosts who clearly couldn't give a s**t?' Em ranted. 'You know, the ones who blame their producers for their lack of prep, make zero effort to be engaging or entertaining, and worst of all don't even cater to the demographic they are supposedly targeting?' The Melbourne-born star added she always had great interviews on her independently produced Emsolation podcast, and was frustrated that she had to fight hard to book talent.
The Guardian
27-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Nasal spray similar to ketamine to be added to PBS for treatment-resistant depression
A medication chemically similar to ketamine will be made cheaper to improve the lives of Australians suffering from treatment-resistant depression. The drug, which comes in the form of a nasal spray, is a chemical cousin of ketamine, used for decades as a powerful anaesthetic before it was adopted as a party drug in underground rave culture. There have been no major pharmaceutical innovations for depression since the launch of Prozac and related antidepressants in the late 1980s. Those drugs target the 'feel-good' brain chemical serotonin and can take weeks or months to kick in. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Spravato, known chemically as esketamine, works differently. It targets a neurotransmitter called glutamate that is thought to restore brain connections that help relieve depression. When it works, its effect can be felt within a matter of hours, according to Prof Ian Hickie of the University of Sydney. The co-director of Health and Policy at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre has been working with the drug for a small number of patients under a special access scheme. But from Thursday, it will be available and affordable for up to 30,000 Australians through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It will also mark the first new type of medicine for major depression to be funded by the government in three decades. 'Most of the drug development we've had in the last three decades has mimicked what had preceded it,' Hickie said. 'This is different ... it targets a different neurochemical system – glutamate – and appears to regulate those brain circuits that regulate mood in a different way.' Australian trials using the ketamine-like drug have shown significant improvement in about 50% of people who had otherwise been resistant to conventional treatments. 'Not all depression is the same, nor does it have the same chemical explanation in all people,' Hickie said. 'For some people, particularly those who have failed to respond to the conventional serotonin-focused agents, or monoamine-focused agents, this is different and they appear to benefit.' Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Since the drug was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019, it has been commonly used in emergency rooms and other urgent care settings across the US. 'Here's something that actually works quickly, not by knocking you out, not by sedating you, but by alleviating that terrible sense of hopelessness and terrible depressiveness and to some degree that sense of suicidality,' Hickie said. Spravato will be available through the scheme at a cost per dose of $31.60 or $7.70 for pensioners and concession card holders. However, patients will need to incur additional healthcare and administration costs, including supervision by a healthcare professional at a certified treatment centre. The minister for health and aged care, Mark Butler, said the listing would make the novel drug more affordable and improve the quality of life for thousands of Australians. Johnson & Johnson's innovative medicine ANZ managing director, Joana De Castro, said the 'long overdue' listing came after four funding submissions and a four-year wait following Therapeutic Goods Administration registration. Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
ABC News
27-04-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Ketamine nasal spray to become cheaper for Australians with treatment-resistant depression
When Samuel Hockey's doctor suggested he try using a form of ketamine to treat his depression, he was curious. "I sort of thought, 'This is just a party drug that I've witnessed friends and people take whilst we've been out or whatever'," he said. "Never had I even considered taking it in a recreational sense, and then to think about taking it in a medical or treatment sense was intriguing." After dealing with depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation for half of his life — and trying other treatments such as antidepressants, antipsychotics and psychology without success — he was willing to give it a shot. If you or anyone you know needs help: He took part in clinical trials for a ketamine-based nasal spray, which involved receiving the treatment in regular sessions under the guidance of a psychiatrist. Within a few weeks, he noticed his mood and mindset improving. "My family also mentioned that I was able to take on daily tasks — really simple things like making my bed," he said. A new nasal spray that uses a form of ketamine to treat difficult-to-treat depression will soon become more accessible to tens of thousands of Australians. Spravato, which contains esketamine, will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from May 1, becoming the first new type of depression medication to be funded by the federal government in 30 years, its manufacturer says. But researchers say further work is needed to make the treatment more accessible. Ketamine emerging as treatment for difficult-to-treat depression Ketamine was initially developed as an anaesthetic and It works by increasing a chemical in the brain called glutamate, which then stimulates and restores the transmission of messages to different parts of the brain. Spravato costs patients thousands of dollars over a course of treatment, but after being listed on the PBS will cost less than $32 per dose. Generic ketamine, which some experts say is just as effective, was already cheap. Depression affects about one in seven Australians and becomes classified as "treatment resistant" when a patient has cycled through multiple types of treatment without improvement. What is 'treatment-resistant' depression? When a patient does not respond to at least two types of antidepressant treatments, they are deemed to have "treatment-resistant depression" About one in three people with major depressive disorder have "treatment-resistant" depression Patients with depression should talk to a GP or medical specialist about their treatment options Ian Hickie, the co-director of the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, said esketamine changed the "brain circuitry" in a different way to other antidepressant drugs, making it possible to see fast improvements. "So immediately you have the chemical squirted up your nose [and] your mental state changes as a consequence of that," he said. "There's a period where you're directly affected by it, so it needs to be done under medical supervision. "Then some hours later, many people report that their mood lifts on that day — not as we typically see with antidepressants some weeks later." To get the full effect patients must undergo repeated treatments over multiple weeks, Professor Hickie said. While Spravato being listed on the PBS means the drug itself is now much cheaper, most patients will still need to pay hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket for the cost of administering the treatment, which usually includes one to two hours in a clinic with medical supervision. There are private specialised clinics around Australia that offer ketamine and esketamine treatment but options are limited for public patients. "What I really hope will happen now is that public hospitals and clinics will make this available for those who cannot afford private clinics," Professor Hickie said. New PBS listing 'just the beginning' for patients Clinical psychiatrist Colleen Loo, who has been researching the use of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression for more than 10 years, said treatment needed to be more accessible for all patients. "The introduction of ketamine as a new treatment for treatment-resistant depression is really transformative," she said. "While I think [listing Spravato on the PBS] is a useful step, what I think we really need is for the government to subsidise the treatment cost … which is still a lot for people." Professor Loo also warned that long-term ketamine use could cause serious medical problems such as permanent bladder damage, and said it was important for clinicians to undergo training and conduct safety monitoring during treatments. "As ketamine treatment … becomes more common, I think it's very important for people seeking this treatment to go to a good clinic with good standards," she said. "From a regulatory point of view, there's nothing to stop you setting up a [ketamine] clinic regardless of what training you have or haven't done." Do you have a story to share? Email Sam Hockey welcomed the federal government subsidising Spravato for patients like him, but said it might not make the treatment cheaper. "While the PBS may cover the medication we still have to pay for the clinical room and the two clinicians," he said. "I think [the PBS listing] is just the beginning to make it affordable and accessible for other young people and people experiencing treatment-resistant depression." The federal health department has been contacted for comment.
Perth Now
27-04-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Funding for depression treatment breaks 30-year drought
A mind-altering medication chemically akin to ketamine will be made cheaper to improve the lives of Australians suffering from treatment-resistant depression - the first new government-backed initiative to treat the chronic mental illness in decades. The drug - which comes in the form of a nasal spray - is a chemical cousin of ketamine, used for decades as a powerful anaesthetic before it was adopted as a party drug in underground rave culture. There have been no major pharmaceutical innovations for depression since the launch of Prozac and related antidepressants in the late 1980s. Those drugs target the "feel-good" brain chemical serotonin, and can take weeks or months to kick in. Spravato, known chemically as esketamine, works differently. It targets a neurotransmitter called glutamate that is thought to restore brain connections that help relieve depression. When it works, Ian Hickie says its effect can be felt within a matter of hours. The co-director of Health and Policy at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre has been working with the drug for a small number of patients under a special access scheme. But from Thursday, it will be available and affordable for up to 30,000 Australians through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It will also mark the first new type of medicine for major depression to be funded by the government in three decades. "Most of the drug development we've had in the last three decades has mimicked what had preceded it," Professor Hickie told AAP. "This is different ... it targets a different neurochemical system - glutamate - and appears to regulate those brain circuits that regulate mood in a different way." Australian trials using the ketamine-like drug have shown significant improvement in about 50 per cent of people who had otherwise been resistant to conventional treatments. "Not all depression is the same, nor does it have the same chemical explanation in all people," Prof Hickie said. "For some people, particularly those who have failed to respond to the conventional serotonin-focused agents, or monoamine-focused agents, this is different and they appear to benefit." Since the drug was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019, it has been commonly used in emergency rooms and other urgent care settings across the US. "Here's something that actually works quickly, not by knocking you out, not by sedating you, but by alleviating that terrible sense of hopelessness and terrible depressiveness and to some degree that sense of suicidality," Prof Hickie said. Spravato will be available through the scheme at a cost per dose of $31.60 or $7.70 for pensioners and concession card holders. However, patients will need to incur additional health care and administration costs, including supervision by a health care professional at a certified treatment centre. Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the listing would make the novel drug more affordable and improve the quality of life for thousands of Australians. Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine ANZ managing director Joana De Castro said the "long overdue" listing came after four funding submissions and a four-year wait following Therapeutic Goods Administration registration. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
