Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
The Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Department strives to
achieve the ‘Quality Use of Medicines’ in every patient of St Vincent’s
Hospital. We look after and help patients who have had negative effects
or insufficient response from their medicines and interactions between
their medicines.
It is not uncommon for patients to experience
adverse reactions to medicines as each individual can have a different
response to their medication due to their age, sex, weight, organ
functions and genetics. Our Department investigates these different
reactions through careful assessment of a person’s medical history,
measuring the concentrations of the drug in their blood, assessment of
vital organ functions such as the kidney and liver and the genes
relevant to that medicine as well as directed research. Our aim is to
recommend how to tailor treatment to each patient accordingly.
As
the first Clinical Pharmacology Unit established in Australia, today
our Department is at the international forefront in discovering the
reasons for variability in response to medicines and is one of the few
hospitals in Australia accredited to train the next generation of
clinical pharmacologists.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) Advisory Service for Vancomycin
The TDM Advisory Service is now available to provide dosing advice for vancomycin.
The therapeutic target will be AUC24 >400 mg.hr/L. Not trough concentrations.
What does this mean for treating teams?
1. If your patient is on vancomycin, call the TDM Advisory Service.
- Clinical Pharmacology registrar (pg 6822)
2. Review the dose recommendation report.
- Available on MediWeb (Clinical Pharmacology tab)
3. Treating team to order daily vancomycin levels until advised.
- Do not withhold doses to obtain trough concentrations.
- Samples can be collected any time two hours post-infusion (i.e. trough not required)
4. The TDM Advisory Service is available to discuss individual cases.
For any questions email: svhs.tdm@svha.org.au or page (pg 6822)
Consultants
Professor Richard O Day AM MBBS (Hons) MD FRACP
Associate Professor Darren M Roberts BPharm MBBS PhD FRACP
Dr Jonathan Brett MBBS (hons) BMedSci (hons) PhD FRACP FAChAM
Advanced Trainee
Dr Maurizio Stefani BSc (Hons I) MBBS PhD
Senior Hospital Scientists
Dr Mark Hicks BA MSc PhD
Dr Jane Carland BMedSc (Hon I, University Medal) PhD
Dr Sophie Stocker BSc (Honours) PhD
Honorary Visiting Associates
Professor Garry G Graham MSc PhD
Professor Kenneth M Williams BSc (Hons 1), PhD
Contact Details
Administrative Officer: Ms Thuy Huynh
Location: Therapeutics Centre, Level 2 Xavier Building
Phone No.: 61 2 8382 2304
Fax No.: 61 2 8382 2724
TDM Service Email: svhs.tdm@svha.org.au
General Enquiries: cpt@unsw.edu.au