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This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and related matters.
I will also try to highlight ADHA Propaganda when I come upon it.
Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since!
It is worth pointing out that it was only in last little while ( beginning end July 2020 ) the ADHA took down the notification regarding the most recent minutes notification. Embarrassed I guess – as they should be! I wonder will the new CEO make a difference?
The new CEO has been in place 2+ weeks – no new minutes obvious yet, or any other major improvements!
Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon.
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/facebook-to-ban-content-that-seeks-to-intimidate-voters/
Facebook to ban content that seeks to intimidate voters
It will also ban political ads once the polls for the US elections close on November 3.
By Campbell Kwan | October 8, 2020 -- 00:43 GMT (11:43 AEDT) | Topic: Mobility
Facebook announced in a blog post on Wednesday that it will remove any content that seeks to intimidate voters as part of its preparations for the upcoming US presidential election.
The social networking giant already has a ban on posts that call for "coordinated interference" or bringing weapons to polling locations, but the expanded policy will see more focus be placed on addressing concerns around voter intimidation.
"[Facebook will] remove calls for people to engage in poll watching when those calls use militarized language or suggest that the goal is to intimidate, exert control, or display power over election officials or voters," Facebook VP of integrity Guy Rosen said.
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/budget-2020-australias-cyber-dollars-are-full-of-stale-hot-air/
Budget 2020: Australia's cyber dollars are full of stale hot air
New is not new in Australia's federal Budget. Almost all of the cybersecurity spending is a re-announcement, and there are few measurable targets.
By Stilgherrian for The Full Tilt | October 7, 2020 -- 04:35 GMT (15:35 AEDT) | Topic: Security
Australia's federal budget papers, which dropped on Tuesday night, make it clear just how little attention the government is paying to its cyber policies and to good governance generally.
ZDNet has already reported how most of the Budget was pre-announced, with those previously-announced figures included in the totals of supposedly new spending. In reality, though, it's even worse.
Yes, the "additional $201.5 million" to help deliver the nation's disappointing Cyber Security Strategy is just another part of the AU$1.7 billion over 10 years already announced in August.
Yes, the vast majority of that total figure is the AU$1.35 billion cyber kitty for the Cyber Enhanced Situational Awareness and Response (CESAR) package already announced with much fanfare back in June.
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/genevieve-bell-and-what-the-future-of-ai-might-look-like/
Genevieve Bell and what the future of AI might look like
Safe, responsible, and diverse are her three wishes.
By Aimee Chanthadavong | October 7, 2020 -- 03:45 GMT (14:45 AEDT) | Topic: Innovation
Ask Genevieve Bell what she hopes the future of artificial intelligence (AI) will look like, and three thoughts come to mind: How to make it safe, how can we make it responsible, and how to ensure everybody is part of the conversation.
As the director of the 3A Institute at the Australian National University, Bell believes a combination of efforts will be required if these three wishes are to come true.
One of the main the pieces, she said, will be bringing diversity to the conversation.
"The thing about AI is it's not singular, it's AIs. There will be lots of them; it's not a monolithic AI out of science fiction. So, making sure you have lots of views will help," Bell told ZDNet.
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October 9 2020 - 3:00PM
Scamwatch: Fake Amazon Prime and My Health Record scam calls
Every year, thousands of Australians are targeted by scams, whether it be online, via phone, mail or even in person. Australian Community Media has compiled a list of current scams identified on sites such as scamwatch.gov.au and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's website dedicated to informing people about fraudulent and dishonest activities:
Have you been scammed?
Have you been a victim of a recent scam? Australian Community Media is interested in publishing first-hand accounts from those who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous operators. If you're interested in sharing your story as a warning to others, contact Anna Wolf at anna.wolf@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Amazon Prime scam
- The Australian Communications and Media Authority has receive reports this month of scammers calling people and impersonating staff from entertainment and media subscription service Amazon Prime.
- Be wary of callers claiming you owe money to Amazon and that funds will be taken from your bank account if you do not act immediately.
- Scammers may also ask you to go online to confirm your personal details or Amazon account information.
- Amazon does not ask customers to disclose or verify personal or account information over the phone.
- If a call sounds suspicious, hang up immediately. Never give personal information over the phone unless you can independently confirm who is calling.
Fake digital health calls
- The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), responsible for the My Health Record system, has receive reports of fraudulent telephone calls from an individual or organisation claiming to be a representative of the agency.
- The caller says they are calling from the "digital health agency" to enrol people to get a "health record".
- ADHA will not telephone you with an offer to enrol you for a My Health Record.
- If you receive a call from someone offering to enrol you for a "health record", hang up the call and report it to scamwatch.gov.au.
- If you have shared your Medicare number with an unknown caller, report this to Services Australia who will place your details on a watch list to monitor for any compromise or misuse of your Medicare record. Email protectyouridentity@servicesaustralia.gov.au or phone 1800 941 126.
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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13755-020-00126-4
Improving accessibility of the Australian My Health Records while preserving privacy and security of the system
Health Information Science and Systems volume 8, Article number: 31 (2020)
Abstract
Australian My Health Record (MyHR) is a significant development in empowering patients, allowing them to access their summarised health information themselves and to share the information with all health care providers involved in their care. Consequently, the MyHR system must enable efficient availability of meaningful, accurate, and complete data to assist an improved clinical administration of a patient. However, while enabling this, protecting data privacy and ensuring security in the MyHR system has become a major concern because of its consequences in promoting high standards of patient care. In this paper, we review and address the impact of data security and privacy on the use of the MyHR system and its associated issues. We determine and analyse where privacy becomes an issue of using the MyHR system. Finally, we also present an appropriate method to protect the security and privacy of the MyHR system in Australia.
http://medicalrepublic.com.au/our-11-most-valuable-digital-health-tech-companies/35519
9 October 2020
Our 11 most valuable digital health tech companies
Practice Management Technology Telehealth
As a sort of diversion from our normal Saturday fare of COVID-19, government, the regulators and medical college guts and gore, this week we thought you might be interested in why medical technology companies are suddenly so hot right now, and whether COVID-19 has much to do with that.
Oops, COVID-19 again, sorry. Can’t seem to shake the thing. This is not an investment column, just a novice’s dive into the whims of medicine, technology, digital stuff and how people see value and either make money or lose it.
Since we are ultimately talking about assessing value, and taking risk, a cautionary tale might be a good place to begin.
On the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), there are 176 companies listed as healthcare stocks of which only seven could be classed really as digital health technology companies. Device companies, of which there are many listed, aren’t included.
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Budget 2020: Impact on the Digital Health Sector
This
week saw one of the most anticipated Federal budgets in memory handed down. By
and large ANDHealth felt that the budget was positive for our sector,
especially noting the winding back of planned changes to the R&D Tax
Incentive. Below we’ve outlined some thoughts on how the implementation of some
key budget measures could be considered to benefit the digital health sector:
Modern Manufacturing Initiative – Medical Products – We welcome the renewed
focus on our manufacturing capability in the medical field and encourage the
Government to ensure that we focus on manufacturing the medical products of the
future, not the products of the past. Connectivity and companion and integrated
software is essential to creating a new generation of connected devices to
support the evolution to virtual care and delivery of diagnosis, care and
treatment outside of clinical settings.
Funding for research including the MRFF – The MRFF remains a significant asset
to Australia’s international competitiveness in the research, development and
commercialisation of health and medical research and innovation. However we
need to focus on research, development AND commercialisation activities that
will ultimately impact patient outcomes, but also create the next generation of
companies such as ResMed, Cochlear and Planet Innovation.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=51d4c92f-f870-4eda-a6a5-fff78829ccc4
Court’s $2.9 million penalty against HealthEngine delivers clear guidance to businesses about customer reviews and the use of customer information
What has happened?
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has succeeded in its case against HealthEngine Pty Ltd. HealthEngine hosts an online directory listing 70,000 health practices and practitioners across Australia and facilitates patient bookings.
HealthEngine admitted that it engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by publishing selective patient reviews and ratings and sharing patients’ personal information with private health insurance brokers without appropriate disclosures.
HealthEngine consented to orders requiring it to pay a penalty of $2.9 million.
Key takeaways
There are two key takeaways from this case.
- While online customer reviews can be an effective marketing tool, businesses that selectively remove, suppress or edit reviews or ratings risk breaching the Australian Consumer Law. If businesses choose to collect and publish customer reviews or ratings, then they must be prepared to take the bad with the good. The decision also highlights the ACCC’s ongoing enforcement focus on online reviews, with this case following other recent enforcement proceedings concerning the veracity and independence of online reviews and ratings against Service Seeking, Trivago and Meriton.
- Businesses that collect personal information from customers must make appropriate disclosures about how they intend to use that data, particularly if they propose to disclose the information to a third party. A failure to make adequate disclosures risks breaching the Australian Consumer Law. The ACCC is currently focused on a range of consumer data privacy issues.
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The 10 most innovative health companies
A digital wellness platform that helps people manage their mental health is the winner of the best innovation prize in the health industries category.
Alexandra Cain
Oct 9, 2020 – 12.01am
The AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list recognises the most innovative organisations in Australia and New Zealand, as judged by the expert panel assembled by The Australian Financial Review and Inventium.
The assessment methodology is outlined here.
A digital wellness platform has won the best innovation prize in the health industries category.
In 2020, the list has been split into 10 industry-specific categories.
These are the top 10 innovations in health industries.
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Thursday, 08 October 2020 14:22
Victorians shy away from installing the COVIDSafe tracking app
Only 56% of Victorians have the COVIDSafe ‘tracking app’ on their phone more than five months after the app was launched by the Federal Government in late April and as the State continues in lockdown with stage 4 restrictions.
According to a Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey on Victoria’s Stage 4 restrictions, those with the COVIDSafe app are more likely to say they would feel safe visiting a shopping centre if everyone was required to have the app. (55% vs 20% of those without the app).
But, only 22% of Victorians believe that a person should be refused entry into a shopping centre if they refuse to have the ‘tracking app’ on their phone.
This contrasts strongly with Victorian views on masks and temperature checks, with 90% of Victorians saying people not wearing a mask should be refused entry to a shopping centre and 87% saying people who refuse a temperature check should also be refused entry.
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ADHA
Propaganda
Introduction to My Health Record - free webinar
How much does it cost?
Free
Email: library@cttg.sa.gov.au
Phone: 8397
7333
When is it?
Thursday 22 October 2020 at 2:30PM - 3:30PM
Upcoming dates: Thursday 19 November 2020 - 2:30PM
Where is it?
Tea Tree Gully Library (online webinar)
571 Montague Road, Modbury View on map
Online webinar for home or work
This session will introduce you to My Health Record. My Health Record is an online platform allowing healthcare professionals to share information with each other as well as the patient, to help give a clearer and more complete picture of a person’s health to aid in their treatment.
This session will give you an overview of the platform, along with the opportunity to access and use My Health Record.
You will need an active email address and a MyGov account.
This is an online webinar and an email with the webinar link will be provided prior to the session.
Tea Tree Gully library has received a grant to deliver this course and is required to capture attendees' details as part of this funding.
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Why health care must prioritise data protection
By Josh Gluck*
Wednesday, 07 October, 2020
Healthcare providers are facing an unprecedented risk of cyber attacks amid the coronavirus pandemic. In recent weeks, the Australian Cyber Security Centre has raised concerns in regard to healthcare providers — including hospitals and aged-care homes — being increasingly targeted by COVID-19-themed ransomware attacks.
Experts say the risks of a successful attack are higher than usual right now, and ransomware attacks can be devastating to the critical infrastructure within the healthcare sector. This is due in part to the crippling effect ransomware has. It restricts access to important clinical and research data needed by clinicians and researchers that can mean the difference between life and death.
Consequences of these attacks can be dire, requiring payment to the attacker, decryption tools, or the gamble of recovering sensitive data from infrequently tested backups. Putting an organisation’s most valuable asset in a hostage scenario often results in massive payouts to cybercriminals, federal penalties and reputational damage.
Despite billions of dollars spent annually to guard entry points to clinical data, many healthcare providers still underestimate the strategic value of improving data protection. As this pandemic continues, essential services must be able to use their data while storing it securely.
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Big Tech has reason to fear a Biden victory
By Joe Nocera
October 8, 2020 — 8.20am
Silicon Valley has long been in the camp of the Democrats - a place where candidates could reliably raise lots of money, deliver keynotes at technology conferences and pick the brains of the tech elite over dinner. This year, however, the most powerful of those executives should probably be rooting for Donald Trump's re-election. If Joe Biden wins the presidency - and the Democrats take the Senate - it's going to be lights out for Big Tech.
Not literally of course. But the antitrust sword that has been hanging over the four tech monopolies - Apple, Facebook, Amazon.com and Alphabet's Google - is far more likely to drop if the Democrats are in charge than if the Republicans retain power. This was made abundantly clear on Tuesday (US time), when the antitrust subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee released a 449-page report excoriating the four companies for what it described as continuing and systematic abuses of their monopoly power. And it laid out recommendations that would limit their power, force them out of certain lines of business and possibly even break up several of them.
The report is the culmination of a long investigation by the subcommittee. It began when Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island became chairman after the 2018 elections turned the House over to the Democrats. Cicilline, an antitrust newbie when he first joined the subcommittee in 2016, spent his first two years learning both about the government's inability to curb Big Tech's monopoly abuses - as well as the monopoly abuses that needed to be curbed.
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Budget 2020: Public Service transformation hyped as key to economic recovery
A further batch of government tech transformation initiatives funded up until mid-2024.
By Asha Barbaschow | October 6, 2020 -- 11:02 GMT (22:02 AEDT) | Topic: Digital Transformation
In handing down its 2020-21 Budget on Tuesday night, the federal government walked through the steps it has taken to set the Australian Public Service (APS) up for success in allowing it to move forward with helping the nation's economic recovery.
It pointed to its Welfare Payment Infrastructure Transformation (WPIT) program that it has touted would provide "new and improved channels for accessing the welfare system, ensuring quicker approvals, faster payments, and the flexibility to implement new payments faster than ever"; as well as its digital identity system that is being used by more than 1.6 million Australians and 1.1 million businesses to access over 70 government online services.
"The need to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that the government and APS serve the needs of the public. The APS has built on the government's investment in more accessible, smarter and seamless digital services. Leading global expertise in ICT has been engaged to ensure that we build the most advanced technologies," the Budget papers say.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=efe6b593-20fe-46a8-b2d2-c4c540b8c03b
HealthEngine decision: understanding the overlap between privacy and consumer laws
We have seen a recent overseas trend by EU and US based competition regulators to address privacy related matters within a broader competition context. This is not something we have seen occurring in Australia to any great extent although the recent introduction of the Consumer Data Right has seen both the Office of the Australian Information Commission (OAIC) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) working hand in glove to regulate consumer data rights.
A recent 2020 decision now confirms the ACCC’s move into the privacy realm as part of its competition remit. In Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v HealthEngine Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 1203, the ACCC succeeded in its proceedings against HealthEngine Pty Ltd (HealthEngine), resulting in orders requiring HealthEngine to pay a penalty of $2.9 million.
HealthEngine provides an online platform through which patients can access a booking system for an online healthcare directory of over 70,000 health practices and practitioners in Australia.
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US investigation highlights tech giants' abuse of power
By Tony Romm, Cat Zakrzewski and Rachel Lerman
October 7, 2020 — 9.33am
Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google engaged in anti-competitive, monopoly-style tactics to evolve into four of the world's most powerful corporate behemoths, according to US congressional investigators, who called in a wide-ranging report released on Wednesday AEDT for sweeping changes that regulators could bring Silicon Valley back in check.
The roughly 450-page report, capping a 15-month investigation by the House of Representatives' top antitrust committee, found the four tech giants relied on dubious, harmful means to solidify their dominance in search, smartphones, social networking and shopping; and in the process evaded the very regulators whose primary task it is to ensure that companies do not grow into such corporate titans.
Investigators faulted Facebook for gobbling up potential competitors with impunity, and they concluded Google had improperly scraped rivals' websites and forced its technology on others to reach its pole position in search and advertising. Lawmakers' report labelled both of those companies monopolies while faulting the US government for failing to crack down on them sooner.
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Facebook bans all QAnon groups as dangerous amid surging misinformation
By Joseph Menn
October 7, 2020 — 8.23am
San Francisco: Facebook on Tuesday, local time, classified the QAnon conspiracy theory movement as dangerous and began removing Facebook groups and pages as well as Instagram accounts that hold themselves out as representatives.
The step escalates an August policy that banned a third of QAnon groups for promoting violence while allowing most to stay, albeit with content appearing less often in news feeds. Instead of relying on user reports, Facebook staff now will seek out and delete the groups and pages, the company said in a blog post.
Since the August restrictions, some QAnon groups have added members, and others used coded language to evade detection, for example referring to "cue" instead of Q. Meanwhile, adherents have worked to integrate themselves in other groups, such as those concerned with child safety and those critical of restrictions on gatherings due to the coronavirus, according to researchers at Facebook and elsewhere.
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https://www.aapm.org.au/Knowledge-Hub/Latest-News/paid-research-into-digital-health
ADHA
Propaganda
6 October
Paid research into digital health
October 6, 2020 By Laura Jolley Announcement, Digital Health Agency, Research 0
The Australian Digital Health Agency is inviting Practice Managers to participate in paid market research to discuss your experiences with digital health. In appreciation for your time, you will be paid $400 by Focus People, an independent market research recruitment agency that are recruiting the participants for our research.
The research involves:
- Participating in a secure online platform over four days - 30 mins per day (can be completed at a time convenient to you)
- Responding to different tasks each day and sharing your honest opinions and experiences with digital health
- All responses will be confidential and deidentified in any reporting
If you are interested in participating, please click here to complete a short questionnaire.
A representative from Focus People may then contact you after you complete the short questionnaire. This information will not be used for any other purpose. Please note that spaces in this research are limited so we appreciate your understanding if you are not called to participate on this particular occasion.
If you have any questions or concerns surrounding this research, please get in touch with Trudy Morrison at Focus People at trudy.morrison@focuspeople.com.au
All participation is voluntary and confidential.
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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/practice/why-video-telehealth-isnt-yet-mustsee-viewing
Why video telehealth isn't yet must-see viewing
The 'law of diffusion' goes some way towards explaining the continued popularity of the telephone
14th September 2020
Many GPs in Australia still underestimate just how popular telehealth is with our patients.
A recent HotDoc patient survey found that 55% of patients who had a telehealth appointment over the previous two months would prefer a telehealth appointment to seeing a GP in person, even when the COVID-19 restrictions are at an end.
Also, 68% said they believed their last in-person appointment could have been done just as effectively via telehealth.
Patients rate receiving results by telehealth as their biggest preference. But using telehealth for seeing a new doctor, addressing mental health or a new problem, or diagnosing sick children, was not so popular (see table below).
I suspect that this correlates fairly well with GPs’ own preferences for when telehealth works best.
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https://www.smh.com.au/technology/a-smart-companion-for-locked-down-seniors-20201005-p561zd.html
A smart companion for locked down seniors
By Adam Turner
October 6, 2020 — 10.30am
Stuck at home for months on end, seniors might find a smart speaker or display makes for the perfect lockdown companion.
While going back into lockdown was tough on all Melburnians, it's been especially difficult for seniors who've had to be extra cautious; like my parents who are in their 70s and have basically been stuck at home since Easter.
Around that time we got the exciting news that my sister was having another baby, so mum and dad have spent the last six months knowing that when their new granddaughter arrived they probably wouldn't get to visit her in the hospital.
I thought they might appreciate a digital photo frame so the first baby photos could take pride of place; the digital equivalent of sending them "straight to the pool room".
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50,000 miss self-isolation in UK because of outdated Excel spreadsheet
By Bevan Shields
October 6, 2020 — 9.44am
London: An outdated Excel spreadsheet has been blamed for a new coronavirus fiasco in England, where as many as 50,000 people who should have been self-isolating were not because a batch of positive cases were never passed on to contact tracers.
Britain's second wave appeared to be flat-lining last week before it was revealed nearly 16,000 positive tests between September 25 and October 2 were never made public.
The blunder meant only 7000 cases were reported on Friday when the true figure was close to 12,000.
Italy has recorded its highest daily increase in COVID-19 since the country's lockdown in April.
The missing cases were also never registered with the National Health Service tracing regime, meaning close contacts of the 16,000 infected people did not get notified that they might be at risk and should self-isolate for 14 days.
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Google drops Australia from News Showcase launch amid regulator rancour
By Byron Kaye on Oct 5, 2020 8:36AM
Cites regulatory complications.
Google has postponed the Australian rollout of News Showcase citing regulatory complications, just three months after announcing the product, as the US internet giant grapples with one of the most audacious attempts to police its activities.
After naming Australia, Germany and Brazil as markets where it would start paying publishers to feature their news, Google dropped Australia from the product's launch last week because its antitrust body has since pushed for laws forcing Google to pay royalties for content industry-wide.
Google said it has therefore "paused" contracts with five local publishers whose news was due to feature on News Showcase, which presents content on swipeable cards it dubs story panels.
"As we work to understand the impacts of the news media bargaining code on partnerships and products, we have put this project on pause for now," Google's managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Mel Silva, told Reuters in an email.
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Telehealth: an opportunity to increase access to early medical abortion for Australian women
Danielle Mazza, Seema Deb and Asvini Subasinghe
Med J Aust 2020; 213 (7): . || doi:
10.5694/mja2.50782
Published online: 21 September 2020
Telehealth offers an opportunity to address limited access to early medical abortion during COVID‐19 and beyond
Access to early medical abortion (EMA), using mifepristone followed by misoprostol to end an early pregnancy, remains a challenge in Australia, especially for women from vulnerable groups and those living in rural and regional areas.1 Low numbers of general practitioner providers, lack of peer networks to support the establishment and ongoing provision of EMA services, and stigma are real barriers as is a broader lack of knowledge regarding medical abortion among health professionals.2,3 Many women are also unaware of the availability of EMA and the current gestational limit of 63 days.4 They also face difficulties navigating the health system to find an EMA provider, particularly when they encounter conscientious objections.4,5 Women can also face other barriers such as needing to travel to access services, take time off work or find childcare, and many need to source financial support to meet the costs.5
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Facebook bans US ads that claim voting fraud widespread
Joseph Menn
Oct 1, 2020 – 4.31pm
San Francisco | Facebook on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) banned ads on its flagship website and Instagram photo and video sharing service that claim widespread voting fraud, suggest US election results would be invalid, or which attack any method of voting.
The company announced the new rules in a blog post, adding to earlier restrictions on premature claims of election victory.
The move came a day after US President Donald Trump used the first televised debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden to amplify his baseless claims that the November 3 presidential election will be "rigged."
Trump has been especially critical of mail-in ballots, and he cited a number of small unrelated incidents to argue that fraud was already happening at scale.
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Comments more than welcome!
David.
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