Purple Pen Podcast

PPP 194 – Sport and Exercise Pharmacy with Alison Hooper
In this episode, pharmacist and former physiotherapist Alison Hooper joins us to discuss the expanding role of pharmacists in sport, exercise, and active living
We cover:
How pharmacists can support movement, exercise, and sport
Injury management and common sports-related conditions
Managing chronic conditions in active people
Exercise-induced asthma
Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
WADA and anti-doping regulations
Accidental doping risks from supplements
RICER vs PEACE & LOVE for injury management
The latest evidence on NSAIDs in sport
Whether you're working with elite athletes or helping patients stay active, this episode highlights the important role pharmacists play in supporting safe participation in sport and exercise.
 
Further Reading and Resources Links
Understanding pharmacists' engagement in sport and exercise medicine, including pharmacist-physiotherapist collaboration: A qualitative study and COM-B analysis. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667276625000344  
WADA website: Raising the game for clean sport | World Anti Doping Agency
WADA Prohibited List: 2025list_en_final_clean_12_september_2024.pdf
Sport Integrity Australia: Protecting Sport Together | Sport Integrity Australia
Sports Integrity Australia Sports Pharmacy eLearning Course: New Sports Pharmacy eLearning Course Launched
Global Drug Reference Online: Global DRO - Home
Sports Integrity Australia 'Check Your Substances' (links to Global DRO) Check Substances On Global DRO | Sport Integrity Australia
Informed Sport (Supplement Batch Testing): Sports Supplements Certification | Informed Sport
HASTA (Supplement Certification and Testing): Home - HASTA
US Sports Pharmacy Group: U.S. Sports Pharmacy Group
Sports Pharmacy Network: Sports Pharmacy Network

To align with NAIDOC week this year we have a special bonus episode.
In this episode, we speak with Dr Jessica Buck about childhood cancer in First Nations people, genomics, and the importance of cultural safety in healthcare and research. A proud Kamilaroi woman, she is the Team Leader of the First Nations Childhood Cancer Program at The Kids Research Institute Australia — a first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to developing culturally safe, community-led research strategies to improve outcomes for First Nations children with cancer.
Together, we explore how a First Nations perspective can strengthen biomedical science and improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families affected by cancer.
We cover:
What culturally safe healthcare and research look like in practice

Applying a First Nations lens to genomics and biomedical science

How historical harms in healthcare and research continue to influence trust today

Childhood cancer outcomes for First Nations children

The impact of geography, access to care, racism and broader inequities

Why representation in genomic databases and clinical trials matters

The clinical implications of underrepresentation for diagnosis and treatment

The potential role of pharmacogenomics in cancer care

Treatment-related adverse effects

Opportunities to improve equity in childhood cancer care
 

Further reading and resources:
Clark (Adnyamathanha), J.R., Buck (Kamilaroi), J., Richards-Satour (Adnyamathanha and Barngarla), A., Lyons (Jaadwa), L. and Brown (Yuin), A. (2024), Towards precision cancer medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer health equity. Med J Aust, 221: 68-73. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52346 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.52346 

 Alexandra Truong, Kayla Williams‐Tucker (Ngarluma, Wongutha, Wudjari Noongar), Ahmi Narkle (Whadjuk Goreng Noongar), Eden Slicer (Gundungurra), Jessica‐Elise Chapman (Kamilaroi, Bundjalung), Jessica Lawler, Rishi S Kotecha, Hetal Dholaria, Justine R Clark (Adnyamathanha), Alex Brown (Yuin), Raelene Endersby, Nicholas G Gottardo and Jessica Buck (Kamilaroi) - Current gaps in knowledge and future research directions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with cancer - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2025/222/10/current-gaps-knowledge-and-future-research-directions-aboriginal-and-torres

 The Kids Research Institute Australia https://www.thekids.org.au/our-research/chronic-diseases/first-nations-childhood-cancer/ 

 Zero Childhood Cancer https://www.zerochildhoodcancer.org.au/

 Henrietta Lacks: science must right a historical wrong - https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02494-z 

 
A note on the artwork for this episode: "Cancer 2025"
Shaznaye Bin-Kali, is a Kija and Yawuru Jij from Broome, W.A. She is 15 years old. She was diagnosed with brain cancer at six months old and experienced her first seizure at the age of one, which led to her first operation. This painting represents the spread of her brain cancer. The lines surrounding it symbolise her very first seizure, an important moment in my journey. Through her art, she shares her story, resilience, and connection to her culture.
 
Note: NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It aims to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Gastroenterologist and three-time guest Dr Kostas Brooks returns for a discussion on colonoscopy, bowel cancer screening, and best practice care in Australia.
In this episode, we cover:
Home bowel cancer screening
The role of home-based faecal occult blood tests in early detection

How the program works in practice

What best practice looks like in screening and surveillance

Bowel preparation for colonoscopy
Why there is no single standard bowel preparation protocol

Practical tips to support patients to achieve optimal preparation

Key considerations for medicines before and after colonoscopy

What happens during a colonoscopy
Step-by-step overview of the procedure

Emerging role of artificial intelligence in detection and diagnosis

Colorectal cancer in Australia
Prevalence and key risk factors

Who is most at risk and why

What happens next after a positive colonoscopy finding

Further reading 
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care - Colonoscopy Clinical Care Standard - https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/clinical-care-standards/colonoscopy 

National Bowel Cancer Screening Program - https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-bowel-cancer-screening-program?language=en 

Bowel Cancer Australia - Red Apple Day - https://redappleday.au/

In this episode of Myopia Progression and the Role of Atropine in Managing Myopia, we speak with Dr Loren Rose about one of the fastest growing challenges in children's eye health. We explore emmetropisation, the natural process by which a child's eyes develop towards clear vision, and what happens myopia. Dr Rose explains key concepts including hyperopic reserve, what a dioptre actually measures, and why both genetics and environment play important roles in myopia development. We discuss the influential Taiwan studies showing that spending around two hours outdoors each day can help reduce the risk of myopia, as well as the evidence linking prolonged near work and screen use with increasing rates of short-sightedness. We discuss the role of atropine drops and peripheral defocus lenses. 
Further reading
Rose LVT. The quest for safe and effective myopia control in children. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2024 Jul;52(5):503-504. doi: 10.1111/ceo.14391. PMID: 38950909. - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38950909/ 
Optometry Australia Position Statement on Myopia Management - https://www.optometry.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Professional_support/Guidelines/Myopia-Position-Statement-2024-v3.pdf 
https://www.optometry.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/Documents/Myopia-management-resource-guide.pdf

In this episode, we're joined by Dr Mariya Farah Kitson, Consultant Rheumatologist at the Osteoporosis Refracture Prevention Clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital, for a deep dive into the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. We explore why osteoporosis remains significantly underdiagnosed, current recommendations for bone mineral density (BMD) screening, and the ongoing osteoporosis care gap that leaves many patients untreated after fragility fractures. Dr Kitson also explains the role of secondary fracture prevention services and why menopause represents a particularly high-risk period for accelerated bone loss and fracture risk in women.
The conversation also unpacks the evolving treatment landscape for osteoporosis, including discussions around denosumab, its PBS and other indications, and important considerations regarding duration of therapy and rebound vertebral fracture risk following discontinuation. Dr Kitson compares the mechanisms of action of denosumab and bisphosphonates, outlines current recommendations for safely stopping denosumab, and discusses where newer therapies such as romosozumab fit into contemporary osteoporosis care. We also touch on the emerging role of biomarkers in fracture risk assessment and treatment monitoring, offering listeners an up-to-date and clinically relevant overview of osteoporosis management.
 
Further Links 
ASBMR - The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research - https://www.asbmr.org/Default.aspx 
International Osteoporosis Foundation https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/