Headlines on health

Australians at higher risk of lung cancer are being urged to take advantage of a new screening program that has launched this month. The scan will be free for patients under Medicare bulk-billing through GPs, with eligibility to be determined by age - those between 50 and 70 - and smoking history. It is the first new national cancer screening program in nearly 20 years. Lung cancer is Australia’s...

Lung cancer is Australia’s fifth most diagnosed cancer, but causes the greatest number of deaths because it is often diagnosed too late. A new screening program has become available that hopes to detect cases much earlier for those at the highest risk - which includes Indigenous Australians and some migrant communities.

Heart failure is a growing problem with at least half a million Australians living with it at any given time - and more than 67,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Heart failure is responsible for approximately 61,000 deaths annually, numbers that are likely to increase with the growing and ageing population. Advocates say they are worried a lack of awareness about the condition is leaving Australi...

A new vaccine advisory panel appointed by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has announced it will study the schedule of childhood and adolescent immunisations and review the use of older vaccines. It's also recommended single dose flu vaccination formulas which is thimerosal-free. The announcements have caused some alarm, with some concerned it's promoting long debunked claims and embedding...

Leaders from around 50 medical groups have gathered in Canberra to tackle some of the thorniest issues facing Australia's heath system. The Australian Medical Association is among the organisations to attend. The AMA argues that logjams in public hospitals, rural communities struggling to access care and the shuttering of private hospitals and services shows the health of Australia's care system i...

Research shows refugees and asylum seekers in Australia experience disproportionately high rates of suicide, PTSD and psychological distress. Mental health challenges are often further exacerbated by a lack of access to culturally appropriate care and information. Wesley LifeForce is one organisation working to fill this gap, by offering suicide prevention training for refugees in six languages.

The UK's original abortion law - approved in 1861 - stipulated that deliberately ending a pregnancy was a crime, and those who carried it out could be kept in penal servitude for life. The Parliament has now approved an amendment to that law to stop women from being prosecuted, which one Labour MP says has been happening to hundreds of vulnerable people over the years.

Victoria has confirmed plans to open its first fixed pill-testing site in Fitzroy, one of Melbourne's most popular nightlife areas. The service will offer testing for most substances - and act as an early detection point for authorities on the lookout for highly dangerous synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and Nitazenes, which can be mixed with other drugs. The decision puts Victoria in a unique p...

A new report has found that high medical costs have caused almost two million Australians to delay or skip appointments with specialist doctors. The report from the Grattan Institute says some specialists in the private sector charge patients two to three times more than the rate Medicare sets for those services. The Institute suggests stripping public funding to doctors charging excessive fees co...

Four months after a fertility clinic data breach, a customer feels uninformed about the investigation, and how it affects him and a donor-conceived child. Meanwhile, their family histories of medication and mental illness are being shared online by cyber criminals. A warning to listeners, this story contains some explicit language.

A new report from consumer advocacy group CHOICE has found only four out of 20 popular sunscreen products actually meet their claims of sun protection. The findings have sparked concerns among consumers. But experts and advocates say putting on sunscreen is still important for skin cancer prevention.

For decades, 'drugs' has been a dirty word in sport, but a new competition is attempting to change that. The 'Enhanced Games' is set to launch in Las Vegas next year, with competitors openly doped. World sporting bodies say the concept is dangerous and risks athletes' health.

Health authorities in Australia have approved a new drug that could slow the progression of Alzheimer's.

A baby born with a rare, life-threatening genetic disease is now thriving after receiving an experimental gene-editing treatment. He's one of the first to be successfully treated with a bespoke therapy targeting a tiny but deadly error in his DNA. His doctors hope the technology could one day help the estimated 350 million people worldwide with rare diseases.

A bill to improve access to abortions in regional New South Wales has been approved in the state's Parliament, amid passionate debate. The legislation, tabled by Greens MP Amanda Cohn, was introduced after revelations a woman was turned away from having an abortion on the day of her planned procedure at Queanbeyan Hospital in August 2024.

National Palliative Care Week is in its 30th year, with this year's theme: 'What's your plan?, aiming to encourage conversations around end of life care. Part of this could include discussing and implementing culturally appropriate customs and traditions related to death and dying for residents and their families, an issue being addressed through a new online course.

One in five people in Australia and New Zealand will experience chronic pain at some stage in their lives; and it's recognised as a major global health issue. Unrelieved pain can affect every area of a person's life with major social, financial and emotional consequences. Researchers at the University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia have done a randomised trial focusing on t...

Heavy menstrual bleeding affects a quarter of women, but is often excluded from discussions around women's health. While the government's $793 million women's health investment has been celebrated, there are concerns around a lack of specific reference to this condition. This comes amid calls for a change in terminology to challenge taboos.

After a record number of flu cases last year in Australia, experts are warning all Australians of the need to get the latest updated annual vaccine - as well as adopt other hygiene measures to reduce their risk. So far this year, 63,000 cases of influenza have been recorded nationally, and experts say it's already a relatively high number for this time of year - the start of the flu season. But wh...

Researchers are warning extreme heat is a threat to mental health. Doctors have long warned of the dangers of heat related stress and now a study suggests rising temperatures could increase the burden of mental and behavioural disorders by almost 50 per cent by 2050.

A global study conducted on osteoarthritis has revealed hundreds of genetic links to the disease. This comes as the group of international researchers have identified potential new drug targets that could fast track the development of more effective treatments.

Almost two decades after it entered the market, commercial genetic testing provider 23andMe filed for bankruptcy, earlier this year. Its demise has revived debate about genetic testing, which in its early days promised a revolution in medical treatment. Has that really happened?

A study of 5,000 Australian teenagers has found that almost one in two of those surveyed live with chronic diseases or developmental conditions. The research observed a link to unhealthy habits and poor mental health. But independent experts are emphasising that the study was observational, and that it's important these factors are not interpreted as the cause but rather elements that can exacerba...

An Indigenous-led program that’s already helping hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people quit smoking and vaping is about to go national, thanks to a new $4.7 million grant. Which Way? Quit Pack has been developed by a team at the University of Newcastle, led by Wiradjuri woman Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners says racism is affecting how people use healthcare services. As we mark the International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the nation's doctors want government support to measure how big the problem could be.