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Dr Adrian Cohen - Cohen, Concussion and the Chek

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Your mission with head safe and neck safe is ultimately to eliminate or reduce preventable neck and head injuries. Do you have any current information specific to sport in Australia around the number of head and neck injuries occurring in sport each year.

What can we do to prevent this or reduce this number? Concussion is of particular concern, even in junior sport. What can be done more actively to reduce the occurrence of this and what are the effects of experience a single concussion, and multiple concussions?

There is some litigious discussions currently with the English Rugby Union and Welsh Rugby Union in the form of a class action, taking World Rugby to task for not providing adequate player welfare and a safe playing environment for players. Some high profile ex players are saying that long term brain injuries have been endured as a direct consequence of head or neck injuries sustained while playing rugby. What are your thoughts on this and have we globally provided a safer playing environment now?

Do measures such as Head injury Assessments HIA or the implementation of the Blue Card for example - indicating that a match official would like the player assessed for concussion or a potential head injury - do you think these measures are adequate and a step forward, or is there further to go to ensure player welfare in this combative sport.

There is a Gradual Return to Play protocol in Rugby Union, where anyone who has been confirmed medically as suffering a concussion must under specific guidelines for specific players, gradually return to full play following the injury. Can you tell us what is the required time for the injury to be deemed now safe to play again?

Is there a standardised treatment, analysis and recommendations for head or neck injuries across the board for all community rugby union and then also for all professional rugby union? Should there be a unified approach?

Is there a potential litigious situation for Australian Rugby Union in relation to providing a duty of care to players? What needs to be done immediately to avoid a litigious situation, but more importantly, to mitigate these risks and provide the safe environment needed and provide the highest level of care for all players?

Could you talk to us about NuroChek and its application in assessing brain function. I understand the FDA in the USA has adopted this technology, but it is not yet approved in Australia. Does this enhance the more precise diagnosis of a head injury, taking the subjectiveness out of it?

You have also introduced a training accreditation process for first responders to be trained in how to manage head and neck injuries correctly. Can you tell us about this accreditation process and can other first aiders in general do this course if they wish to be able to be informed and mange these injuries until more qualified expert attention can be given?

You did some high level studies with players at Randwick rugby, measuring the force of impact, the frequency of impact and gathered much needed facts and data. What were the findings in general from that study?

Do you think this is a new problem and is it related to the pace and ferocity of the game and the way it is played now? Or, has concussion and related head and neck injuries always been prevalent in all full contact sports?

You have also provided medical teams to film sets and TV shows, such as Survivor, The Biggest Loser and others. Do you have any stories you can share where these medical teams were critical?

You are at the fore front of this important medical science. What do you need to ensure this important work is implemented, recognised so that globally we reduce and prevent head and neck injuries of players?

NUROCHEK
HEADSAFE
NECKSAFE
DR ADRIAN COHEN

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