Headlines on health

The Butterfly Foundation says seeking support for an eating disorder is often the most difficult step in the road to recovery. But a growing body of research suggests this may not be the case for neurodivergent and gender diverse people. Ongoing barriers to care can make eating disorder diagnosis and treatment increasingly challenging

An American pharmaceutical lobby group has urged US president Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Australia-made drugs, citing Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme subsidies which they claim have caused a loss for US companies. It comes after both major parties pitched to lower the prices of medicines under the PBS ahead of the federal election, and both Labor and the Coalition have vowed to de...

The Australian Dental Association is calling on the government to introduce a Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme. It comes amid an increase in the number of people over 65 being hospitalised due to dental issues.

Multiple women’s health medications are set to become more affordable when they're added to the government-subsidised list of medications, the PBS. The federal government says the latest listings follow on from the $50 billion package of women's health measures announced in February.

Measles was once considered eliminated in the United States, thanks to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and high immunisation rates. But because measles is so contagious experts say at least 95 percent of a community must be vaccinated to stop outbreaks - and that's not the case in the US, where there's been a serious outbreak in Texas witha couple of deaths. Vaccination rates have declined natio...

Australia's leading charity for eating disorders has launched a new campaign in collaboration with top AFL players to shed light on body dissatisfaction in sporting environments. The Butterfly Trophies Lunch, which took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, also calls for more support for young athletes struggling with building positive body images.

An Australian man has become the first person in the world to leave hospital with a total artificial heart implant. The patient lived with the device for more than 100 days before receiving a donor heart transplant earlier this month

The man who helped lead Australia's COVID-19 public health response says he's concerned about "global preparedness" for the next pandemic. On March 11th 2020, the virus was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Five years on, Professor Paul Kelly - Australia's former top doctor - believes erosion of public trust will be "a major issue" should there be another global disease...

A new survey has found about a third of people would not dial Triple O if they were experiencing signs of a heart attack. But experts say that every minute is vital when someone is having a heart attack - and people should not be afraid to ask for help.

A new study has found Australia has one of the highest rates of breast cancer diagnoses in the world. But Kate Browne's breast cancer was still found by accident. She and others and now calling for better early detection practices to help more women avoid the same fate.

A new blood test is being trialed in the UK to detect the early signs of dementia. It is hoped it could identify patients sooner, so they can potentially benefit from drugs that slow the progression of the disease. With more than 400,000 Australians identified by the Government as living with dementia - and a forecast that those numbers could go up to 900,000 by 2050 - that could be a significant...

Sarah Cox was told by her doctor to lose weight because her BMI, or Body Mass Index, was too high. But the consequences of her doctor's weight loss plan left the 35-year-old sick and hospitalised, as she battled an eating disorder for two-and-a-half years. Now, there is renewed scrutiny of the use of B-M-I as a measure of an individual's health. The tool has been used by doctors for more than 50 y...

Around 100,000 Australians live with myelofibrosis, which is a rare form of blood cancer. Treating the condition is difficult - anaemia is a common side effect. But an Australian-developed drug - just approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration - is helping patients overcome some of the cancer's worst symptoms.

The Federal Government has unveiled Australia’s first-ever National Autism Strategy—a $42 million dollar plan to improve inclusion, access, and outcomes for autistic Australians. Advocates are calling it a game-changer, offering hope and much-needed support to families across the country who face unique and daily challenges.

The federal government has disputed the findings of a new report warning the cost of visiting a GP is on the rise. The annual survey of health clinics found a decline in the number letting patients use Medicare to cover expenses up front. But the Health Minister says increased government funding has actually boosted bulk billing rates.

Authorities in the United States have recorded the country's first human death from bird flu. The patient, aged over 65 and with underlying medical conditions, was hospitalised with the virus on December 18. So how dangerous is the H-5-N-1 virus, and are we prepared enough here in Australia? In this episode of Weekend One on One, SBS Reporter Cameron Carr speaks to Michelle Wille, a Senior Researc...

It's been 10 years since commercial solariums were banned in Australia. But many Australians are still tanning - and now suntan trends are garnering millions of views on social media. Skin cancer experts are also concerned with the rise of modified sunbeds called collariums, that emit ultraviolet radiation, now being promoted as a healthy alternative to solariums.

Queenslanders have been urged to overcome ‘vaccine fatigue’ and take up an offer of free vaccinations amid predictions of a severe flu season. Health Minister Tim Nicholls has announced free flu vaccinations are still available to anyone over the age of six months, after earlier saying he would halt the three-year campaign at the end of 2024.

The United States' top doctor is calling for cancer warnings to be displayed on the country's alcoholic beverages. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's newly released advisory on the causal link between cancer and alcohol says alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable cancer, after tobacco and obesity. It's now sparking questions about whether Australia should consider similar measures.

It's considered the go-to guide for diagnosing mental health conditions in Australia. But is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - the DSM - still relevant and what other alternatives exist for diagnosing mental health conditions? In the final part of this two part special, we explore the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology, or HiTOP, an alternative to the DSM and hear m...

It's considered the go-to guide for diagnosing mental health conditions in Australia. But is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders still relevant and what other alternatives exist for diagnosing mental health conditions? In part one of a two part special, we take a closer look at the history of the DSM and we meet people with lived experience of misdiagnosis.

Crossfit is a growing international sport, a high-intensity program designed for a wide range of fitness levels. And one entrepreneur has made it her business to get people of all abilities moving - as Small Business Secrets explains:

The spread of HIV is increasing in Fiji, with some experts calling it the 'ticking timebomb' of the Pacific. Fiji has the second fastest growing epidemic in the Asia Pacific behind the Philippines, and the government has been urged by the Fiji Medical Association to declare an HIV outbreak. It's been attributed to poor sex education, low testing, limited access to intervention and a growing rate o...

Back pain, mental health concerns and arthritis are just some of the chronic illnesses affecting two in every five Australian workers. A new report has found a third of those experiencing such conditions have left jobs due to stress and a lack of support. Many have also experienced discrimination because of their illness.

There is a common misconception that eating disorders only affect women and girls, despite the fact over one third of those affected are male. And for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, there are often added barriers that force people to conceal aspects of their identity when seeking help.