Health Report

A review of the evidence for community pharmacist prescribing has reopened the debate about who should be able to prescribe, and a legislative change means some registered nurses with special training will soon be authorised to prescribe a number of medicines on the PBS too. Australia's Health 2026 report shows that dementia has overtaken coronary heart disease as the leading cause of death in Aus...

While looking for ways to treat pain in those with musculoskeletal disorders, researchers examined studies in which sleep supplement melatonin had been used.  A study into the behaviour of immune cells in coeliac disease patients showed surprising results. Instead of being overactive, T cells in coeliac disease were subdued, and didn't survive as long as T cells from healthy people.  Spinal stimul...

A movement disorder specialist says the APVMA decision on the use of herbicide paraquat ignores evidence of the link with cases of Parkinson's disease. Analysis of patient data shows less than twenty percent of people attend a cardiac rehabilitation program after their hospital stay, despite the fact that it can make a huge difference to health outcomes.  There's been a substantial increase in vac...

The first cases of H5N1 bird flu have been confirmed following the discovery and rescue of a sick bird on a remote beach in Western Australia. Since then more sick birds have been reported, with authorities stressing the safest approach is to take a photo and notify them. While the risk of bird to human transmission is low, there have been almost one thousand cases of H5N1 bird flu in humans since...

A new review brings together data from studies worldwide and shows that the impact of alcohol has been underestimated, but that changing drinking habits can reverse and slow down damage. Should gyms turn the volume down on the loud music they play while patrons are working out? The donated brains of Parkinson's patients are analysed, showing that the original clinical diagnoses are incorrect in up...

Genomic testing is cheaper than ever and can pick up a risk of disease in people with no family history. Should we expand it nation-wide? IUDs are a highly effective form of contraception, but some women are concerned about pain. A new study looks at how commonly women experience pain on insertion and why. Researchers have criticised the current state of peer review for scientific grants in Austra...

Australia's specialist medical college for obstetrics and gynaecology is raising the alarm over proposed changes to abortion access in three Australian states. How physical activity influences your 'biological clock' - and whether it can help you feel younger than you actually are. Changes to how bulk billing is administered and what that could mean for community-run Aboriginal health services in...

This week, an update on the diphtheria outbreak across multiple Australian states. What's changed to allow the spread to occur? How to build healthier housing for remote communities - and it starts with maintenance. A new trial shows some everyday steps people can take to protect themselves against depression. And reviewing the evidence on calcium and vitamin D when it comes to fractures and falls...

The popularity of peptides appears to be growing in Australia - what do we know about who is using them, what's in them and the risks? A large study of Australians with Parkinson's disease finds links to certain pesticides and high-risk occupations. For people with heart failure, there's a procedure that you can avoid with no ill-effect. And an outbreak of diptheria across multiple states in Austr...

The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern over an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. How does the disease spread, how can it be treated and how concerned should we be? Further Information: Why is there no vaccine for this Ebola outbreak? Ebola vaccine could take nine months as death toll rises further, WHO warns . E...

ACL injuries are very common in Australia - and the common thinking has been that if you tear your ACL, you'll need surgery. Researchers are arguing the best evidence says we should be looking to rehab first, and that for many people they will recover without surgery. Microplastics in our food supply - from processing and production - mean all of us are ingesting some level of plastic into our bod...

Urgent care clinics are getting $1.8 billion in this year's federal budget to make them a permanent part of Australia's health system. We speak to the Health Minister Mark Butler about the decision. 'Fitspo' content that sometimes glamourises a ripped bod or restrictive ways of eating could be flooding your social feed - what do we know about its effect on our mental health? And 'phage therapy' -...

A new review suggests there may be biomarkers linked to irritable bowel syndrome, typically a diagnosis of exclusion. How you get followed up after going to the doctor with symptoms of bowel cancer is shaped in part by where you live. People can now access their diagnostic and pathology results digitally, and for one woman in Brisbane that meant spotting a breast cancer finding that might otherwis...

Two thirds of women report concerns over memory loss, concentration or other cognitive symptoms during menopause. What do we understand about what's going on, and how can it be managed? A new plan for improving asthma outcomes in Australia and ending that reliance on the blue puffer. Understanding how the genes we're born with could shape our risk of some cancers in childhood - with implications f...

Can you trust the advice ChatGPT Health gives about whether you should go to the hospital or not? Who is using GLP-1 weight loss drugs and how common are they? New guidelines for supporting young people with suicidal ideation or who self-harm. And more findings that drugs removing amyloid from the brain don't help prevent dementia. References: Intensive LDL Cholesterol Targeting in Atherosclerotic...

When a medical emergency happens in space, how is it treated? And what does life in Antarctica have to teach us about staying healthy on a spaceflight? Findings from a large study of Australian teenagers find links between school connection, sleep and mental health trajectories through adolescence. If you have a shoulder injury and suspect it's the rotator cuff, should you have a scan? You might f...

Which flu strains are likely to be dominant this flu season - and what's the story with the new nasal spray vaccine? Speaking of sprays ... there's a simple saline spray that might help kids with sleep apnoea avoid surgery. And a treatment for enlarged prostate that doesn't involve going under the knife. Plus, a new review finds vaping is likely to cause certain types of cancer. References: The ca...

3D printing is becoming an incredibly versatile modern tool - with scope to apply it to engineering, manufacturing, architecture and design challenges. And it's increasingly being used in ... healthcare. Plus, Kylie and Gillian had been friends for years when Kylie had a stroke in her early 30s. It turned Kylie's work-driven life upside down, and forced her and husband Chris to re-evaluate everyth...

There's been major buzz in recent years over ultra-processed foods and whether they may be harmful to our health. A new study out of Canada has measured what toddlers eat and how much of it is ultra-processed - and then followed up two years later to examine the behavioural outcomes of those same children. New findings on 'silent' women's health issues and where women would like the focus of healt...

MDMA psychotherapy was approved in Australia three years ago. Who's using it and what do we know about treatment side effects? Vaccine reminders can help nudge people back on track, but how the message is framed matters. A new review of screen use and sleep in young people finds no link between the amount of use and sleep quality or duration. And a different way of looking at mental health outcome...

Are Australian schoolkids eating too much salt? And does it put them at risk of high blood pressure? A new approach to breast cancer screening based on risk could reduce the number of screens needed for some women. There's been a lot of hype around brain training to protect against cognitive decline, but the results haven't always measured up. Now a new long-term study has promising results.  Plus...

We know many people are turning to generative AI for health advice, including tips on how to manage stress, anxiety and low mood.  When is it safe to turn to a chatbot, and when do you need to see a real human being? And what if you can't afford it? Also, a home review program that aims to get people off drugs they don't need to be on that might be negatively impacting their lives.  And good news...

A paper has suggested exercise has minimal, short-term effects on osteoarthritis. But experts are warning people with the condition that they shouldn't stop moving.  Also, school kids are being called on to help in the fight against superbugs. A new study shoots down low-dose aspirin for older people wanting to prevent cancer.  And we take a look at another form of arthritis: gout. It's under-reco...

Researchers have pin-pointed the best exercise routines for depression or anxiety symptoms, and they might be equal to medication and talk therapy. Also, why states and territories are making changes to their maternity care guidance for doctors.  An update on Alzheimer's disease off the back of important vaccine discoveries. Why the packaging of statins might need an upgrade. And some clarity on b...

When you pay for private health insurance, you might assume you'll be well covered if you get injured or fall ill.  But a new report has revealed the huge costs that catch people off guard, and sometimes prevent them from receiving care.  Also, a study hints that constant colds in childhood might not be business-as-usual and should be taken more seriously.  And we talk through the Nipah virus outb...