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It's been a busy start to 2021

This month's e-newsletter is longer than normal, packed with current Arthritis Australia activities and arthritis information, but we wanted to take a moment and thank you for your tremendous support through last year's many challenges: bushfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and more.  

Now, more than ever, it is crucial to get your information from trusted sources, especially when it comes to your health.  For those in our community who have questions about COVID-19 vaccinations for rheumatology patients, please read the latest statement from the ARA, and keep an eye on the COVID-19 section of our website for further updates.

Thank you again,
Your Arthritis Australia Team
Click here for our factsheets about how to live well with Arthritis
Could you be the next member of our Consumer Advisory Panel?

We are seeking nominations from people with lived experience of arthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions to be part of our National Consumer Advisory Panel (NCAP). Read more.
Curious about whether methotrexate is the right treatment for you? Hear from Suzanne, an NPS MedicineWise team member who volunteered her time to talk about her treatment journey and the impact methotrexate has had on her Rheumatoid Arthritis. 
That's a Wrap: Best & Worst Packaging of 2020
And the results from our annual 'That's a Wrap: Best & Worst Packaging of 2020' campaign are in!  And the award for Worst Packaging 2020 goes to: Medicine packaging, specifically push down and turn child-resistant bottles.

Fortunately, we are excited to announce that this year, the Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) has allowed us to have medicine packaging join our 'Easy to Open certification' program!

This means our Accessible Design Division will be testing medication packaging and certifying those that are accessible to our arthritis community – hopefully making access to your medications a little less enraging.

As for 'Best Packaging of 2020'...well, it's complicated.

While we can appreciate nominations that include 'better than' a horrible alternative, we do investigate nominations and sadly this year none of the nominations met our Accessible Design Division's minimum standards to be crowned the ‘Best Packaging’.

We did, however, receive two nominations which we are giving the title of ‘Honourable Mention’, although they still need further improvement to not cause discomfort: Chemist Own paracetamol packaging and Mi battery branded clamshell packaging.

Thank you for this year's many nominations!

Help us, help you 

If you have recently called the National Arthritis Infoline (1800 011 041), we would love for you to take a  short, anonymous survey, which will help make improvements to the service.  It should only take 3 minutes and can be accessed here.
Special Industry Packaging Award nominations are open 

The Accessible & Inclusive Packaging Design Special Award is designed to recognise packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative. Read more about the award and the application process.
Exclusive offer from Adjusta Mattress

One of our Arthritis Australia Supporters, Adjusta Mattress, is offering our newsletter subscribers up to 25% off of all Sleep Systems. Just mention code: ARTHAUS1
Looking for more support:

National Coronavirus Helpline: 1800 020 080
HealthDirect Australia:  1800 022 222
NPS Medicineline: 1300 633 424 for medications information
Lifeline: 13 11 14 for crisis support
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 support for your mental health
Lifeline: 13 11 14 for crisis support
Kids HelpLine: 1800 55 1800 anytime, any reason for young people under 25

Contacting us:
 
Arthritis Australia: www.arthritisaustralia.com.au
Arthritis Australia email: info@arthritisaustralia.com.au
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Arthritis Australia
Level 2/255 Broadway
GLEBE NSW 2037

(02) 9518 4441
www.arthritisaustralia.com.au