Adelaide, South Australia wants to let the secret out, and be known as hub for medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and digital health. It boasts world-class research institutions, such as the University of Adelaide and SAHMRI, fostering innovation and collaboration. The city’s supportive government policies provide incentives, grants, and streamlined regulations for businesses. Adelaide’s skilled workforce, renowned for its expertise in health sciences, offers a talent pool to drive industry growth. Additionally, the city’s strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and strong healthcare ecosystem make it an ideal base for development, manufacturing, and market access, attracting companies in these sectors.
Australian Health Journal spoke to Jo Close, heading the Adelaide arm of MTPConnect about the opportunity its building through its role as the industry growth centre, to help increase commercialisation and collaboration across the sector, optimise the regulatory environment, improving workforce skills and access to markets globally.
One of the companies showing world leading MedTech capabilities arising from Adelaide is Additive Surgical, the first company in Australia to manufacture 3D Printed Titanium novel spinal implant technologies. Its mission is to manufacture the highest quality medical technology in Australia that positively impact the lives of people globally.
Australian Health Journal met with Co-founder and CEO Gibran Maher.
Maher states, “Additive Surgical is committed to supporting Australian innovation and works closely with the Australian clinicians, hospitals, research institutions and universities to innovate and manufacture locally.”
Maher points out the ability to compete is made possible through supportive collaboration with government, research and other enterprises seeking to learn from each other. But to truely compete in international markets, Australia’s needs to further strengthen its sovereign capability.
Currently Australia imports more than 80% of its medical devices. Large multinational companies have very strong market share in Australia and the profits from these companies are largely returned to their international shareholders.
Additive Surgical is committed to manufacturing in Australia, developing intellectual property in Australia and supporting Australian innovation and commercialisation.
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Supporting the mental health of the Australian health care workforce
Tara Hurster, is the CEO of The TARA Clinic and a psychologist who started working within the area of addiction in 2010. The TARA clinic, short for Therapeutic Addiction Recovery Assistance, recently started offering online programs to overcome and recover from addiction.
Tara spoke with Australian Health Journal about the early warning signs of anxiety and stress in health staff and executives, including irritability, changes in sleep patterns and diet leading to more serious mental health decline. These behaviours and symptoms increase the risk of substance abuse that could take the form of excessive smoking, drinking alcohol and drug use, porn, sex and gambling.
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Clinical trial site in primary care setting open for novel therapies in psychiatry
Over the past decade, Paratus has been involved in over 200 clinical trials across 4 clinical site locations. Now a fifth site, the newly opened Melbourne site will cater to both primary care and psychiatry, specifically designed for psychedelic studies.
The new Melbourne site will be a focused on primary care studies specifically expanding access to psychiatric research, a growing area of unmet need. Australian Health Journal met with 3 recent hires brought in to support clinical trials across the organisation and in psychiatry in Melbourne.
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Student nurse placements in primary health care
With an urgent need to manage increasing rates of chronic disease, an ageing population, and a rapidly-ageing primary health care nurse workforce, Australia desperately needs more primary health care nurses to enter the workforce before the current generation retires and cannot pass on its skills.
Most nurses start their career in a hospital. Historically, it was difficult for universities and tertiary education providers to arrange placements for student nurses in primary health care. However, the APNA Student Nurse Placement Program provides student nurses with a foot in the door to a career in vibrant primary health care settings such as general practice or community health to perform supervised activities.
