Latest news with #LungFoundation
9 News
3 days ago
- Health
- 9 News
Push to make $300 vaccine free for thousands of Australians
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A leading health organisation is pushing the federal government to make the $300 RSV vaccine free for thousands of vulnerable Australians as case numbers for the highly-contagious virus climb across the country. The latest figures show nearly 120,000 cases of respiratory syncytial virus Australia-wide so far this year. The symptoms can be severe, according to Mater director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin, with the virus landing some older adults in hospitals. A leading health organisation is pushing the federal government to make the $300 RSV vaccine free for thousands of vulnerable Australians. (9News) "Unfortunately a proportion of them don't survive," Griffin said. Anne Fidler, who picked the virus up from her granddaughter, had to manage several symptoms. "I had headaches, I had a wheezing in my chest, a bit of a runny nose," Fiddler said. Fidler deteriorated quickly due to an existing lung condition and had to seek specialist support. "Trying to get breath into my lungs, which was the hard part, that I thought this is not normal," Fidler said. Across Australia, a free RSV vaccination is available for pregnant women that will protect newborn babies, who can also receive an immunisation product if their mothers haven't had the vaccine. For anyone else, a vaccine costs around $300. "The vaccine works tremendously well reducing the consequences of RSV infection in older adults and particularly those who are most vulnerable," Griffin said. "There are lots of groups that would really like to see this vaccine funded." This includes the Lung Foundation whose members are having to pay for protection. "We encourage the Australian government to add the RSV vaccination to the national immunisation program for those that it is clinically recommended," Lung Foundation CEO Mark Brooke said. There are three RSV vaccines currently approved for Australians 60 years and over, but in order to be placed on the free National Immunisation Program they need to be considered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. The committee has recommended public funding for Pfizer's vaccine for people 75 and older, plus eligible Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander adults, but it has not been listed yet due to concerns over cost-effectiveness. The company said it was actively working with the Department of Health. Two other companies GlaxoSmithKline and Moderna have confirmed they have lodged funding submissions to the committee. In the meantime, vulnerable Australians are being urged to take care. "Wearing a mask, or staying away from your family members when they are unwell, are all little precautions that we can take that go a long way to keeping you safe," Brooke said. CONTACT US
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Huge call to ban cigarettes in Coles and Woolworths - what you need to know
Anthony Albanese faces a huge call to ban cigarettes from supermarkets in the latest move to clamp down on smoking. Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke is calling on the government to bring in new legislation as he branded supermarkets 'irresponsible' for selling cigarettes. 'We need everyone from government to big corporations to put the lung health of Australians ahead of profits from a product that kills 66 Australians daily,' he said. 'Previous news reports have highlighted Coles estimates their cigarette sales each year is enough to kill more than 1,600 Australians and cause tobacco-related medical costs of more than $300 million a year.' It follows a new licensing scheme which is set to take effect across New South Wales from July 1. Aussies may soon no longer be able to buy cigarettes during their weekly grocery shops as restrictions on smoking increase. The new scheme requires all tobacco retailers and wholesalers to have a license to sell tobacco and non-tobacco smoking products in the state. In NSW it is also illegal for any retailers other than a pharmacy to sell any type of vaping good, regardless of its nicotine content. Lung Foundation Australia has urged the federal government to follow suit and introduce legislation that would cover the entire country. 'The federal government can support broader efforts by investigating the health and economic impacts of a generational phase out of tobacco products,' Lung Foundation Australia said. more to come
ABC News
31-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Calls for tobacco sales ban at supermarkets
The Lung Foundation of Australia wants to see an outright ban on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in major supermarkets, with some health experts saying it should also be extended to convenience stores.
West Australian
31-05-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Lung foundation calls for supermarkets to be banned from selling tobacco
Supermarkets should be banned from selling cigarettes, the Lung Foundation of Australia says. The foundation has floated the ban as a means to stop smokers being tempted to buy a pack or a pouch alongside their groceries. 'We need everyone from government to big corporations to put the lung health of Australians ahead of profits from a product that kills 66 Australians daily,' foundation chief executive Mark Brooke said. 'Previous news reports have highlighted Coles estimates their cigarette sales each year is enough to kill more than 1600 Australians and cause tobacco-related medical costs of more than $300m a year.' Former smoker Sarah Waters has joined the campaign for cigarettes to be banned from supermarkets. Ms Waters started smoking aged 13, and continued for nearly 30 years. 'It isn't easy to quit but not being able to buy cigarettes so easily would have made a big difference. When I started smoking there was no age limits in place, and they were marketed to young people as being cool.' Prince Charles Hospital thoracic physician Henry Marshall said nicotine is as addictive as heroin. 'The difference is you can't buy heroin with your weekly shopping.' 'It is hard to fight an addiction while also being able to buy tobacco products so easily.' Professor Marshall has thrown his voice behind the lung foundation's calls for a ban. 'People who smoke deserve more help from health professionals and the government,' he said. 'I would like to see people demand action from the multinational tobacco companies who have known smoking causes lung cancer since before 1954 and continued to sell products to make profit off Australians. It is time we said, 'enough is enough'.' The Lung Foundation is calling for the government to ban supermarkets from selling tobacco products. In response, Coles said in a statement it is providing smokers with a legal way to obtain tobacco. 'Coles complies with all Commonwealth, State and Territory laws aimed at minimising the negative health effects of tobacco use, however we recognise the need to provide choice to those customers who wish to purchase these products legally,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. Woolworths has been approached for comment. Earlier this year, IGA reported it had lost $150m of revenue over three years, as tobacco black market sales skyrocketed across the country. Australians have comprehensively turned to the black market for cigarettes and tobacco, as the tax on legal smokes becomes unaffordable. The taxes the federal government takes from tobacco have plummeted from $16.3bn five years ago, to $7.4bn this year. Smoking rates have fallen from 20 per cent of the population in 2001, to about 8 per cent now, the latest government data shows.
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Lung foundation calls for supermarkets to be banned from selling tobacco
Supermarkets should be banned from selling cigarettes, the Lung Foundation of Australia says. The foundation has floated the ban as a means to stop smokers being tempted to buy a pack or a pouch alongside their groceries. 'We need everyone from government to big corporations to put the lung health of Australians ahead of profits from a product that kills 66 Australians daily,' foundation chief executive Mark Brooke said. 'Previous news reports have highlighted Coles estimates their cigarette sales each year is enough to kill more than 1600 Australians and cause tobacco-related medical costs of more than $300m a year.' Former smoker Sarah Waters has joined the campaign for cigarettes to be banned from supermarkets. Ms Waters started smoking aged 13, and continued for nearly 30 years. 'It isn't easy to quit but not being able to buy cigarettes so easily would have made a big difference. When I started smoking there was no age limits in place, and they were marketed to young people as being cool.' Prince Charles Hospital thoracic physician Henry Marshall said nicotine is as addictive as heroin. 'The difference is you can't buy heroin with your weekly shopping.' 'It is hard to fight an addiction while also being able to buy tobacco products so easily.' Professor Marshall has thrown his voice behind the lung foundation's calls for a ban. 'People who smoke deserve more help from health professionals and the government,' he said. 'I would like to see people demand action from the multinational tobacco companies who have known smoking causes lung cancer since before 1954 and continued to sell products to make profit off Australians. It is time we said, 'enough is enough'.' The Lung Foundation is calling for the government to ban supermarkets from selling tobacco products. In response, Coles said in a statement it is providing smokers with a legal way to obtain tobacco. 'Coles complies with all Commonwealth, State and Territory laws aimed at minimising the negative health effects of tobacco use, however we recognise the need to provide choice to those customers who wish to purchase these products legally,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. Woolworths has been approached for comment. Earlier this year, IGA reported it had lost $150m of revenue over three years, as tobacco black market sales skyrocketed across the country. Australians have comprehensively turned to the black market for cigarettes and tobacco, as the tax on legal smokes becomes unaffordable. The taxes the federal government takes from tobacco have plummeted from $16.3bn five years ago, to $7.4bn this year. Smoking rates have fallen from 20 per cent of the population in 2001, to about 8 per cent now, the latest government data shows.
