Health Report

If you've come across ads of Norman pushing a product for you to buy — no you haven't.  These ads are actually deepfake scams using an AI Norman to sell unproven supplements.  Also, why a new Alzheimer's drug coming onto the market might not become cheap enough for most people to take.  A breakthrough in gene-editing could push us closer to a future full of CRISPR treatments. And why eight hours a...

Gut health is more complicated than social media influencers might have you believe.  It can be impacted by diet, exercise, the medications you take, the colds you catch. And any one of these factors can lead to irritable bowel syndrome.  Also, an overlooked allergy that starts with a tick bite. And the barriers people face who are suffering iron deficiency and its often overwhelming symptoms. 

It's a common sleep disorder that can have knock-on effects on your cardiovascular and overall metabolic health.  But sleep apnea doesn't always present how people think, especially in women.  Also, we take a look at Labor's health promises as they start their second term in government.  New guidelines have been developed to improve care in early pregnancy loss.  And one in seven Australians is on...

The immune system seems to respond faster, and better, when you get a booster vaccine in the same arm as your initial vaccine.  Also, your GP might miss something going wrong with your liver because of the way pathology labs report blood test results.  And a common type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, could be used to treat knee osteoarthritis — and delay knee replacements. 

When you can't make medical decisions for yourself, it's often the responsibility of a loved one, or sometimes a doctor who doesn't know you at all.  Some researchers are suggesting artificial intelligence could be trained to know your wishes and be another voice in the room when making decisions.  Also, it can take up to 95 per cent vaccine coverage to protect against measles outbreaks. How's Aus...

In Australia, we've already seen more cases of measles this year than we saw during the whole of 2024.  It's believed misinformation is to blame, leading to vaccine hesitancy and exposing the community to a highly infectious virus.  Also, we take a look at draft guidelines for prostate cancer. Why a 'minor' stroke isn't very minor. And new evidence looking into the metabolic effects of the COVID-1...

Australia has been at the forefront of research into how what we eat affects our mental health.  What do we know so far, and what are some small changes you can make to see improvements? Also, the doctors strike in NSW continues a much-needed conversation about conditions in the public health system.  And hoping to find out your risk of heart attack and stroke? This is where to start. 

Quitting smoking can be tough, and for many women who've fallen pregnant their only option has been to go cold turkey.  Researchers are trying to figure out whether medications to help are safe for mum and bub.  Also, a condition that causes breathlessness that's often mistaken for asthma. These are the symptoms of vocal cord dysfunction.  And a study suggests we've been majorly underestimating th...

A study of people with neurodegenerative disease has discovered that bursts of creativity can happen when the brain is shutting down.  Also, there's a lot of misinformation out there about back pain and how to treat it. Here's where the evidence isn't.  And the questions women should ask before undergoing vaginal surgery if their sexual function is important to them.

A new resource has launched to provide information to the millions of Australians living with osteoarthritis.  It pushes back against the idea that an injection or surgery will fix all your woes when it comes to this degenerative disease.  Also, what climate change is doing to our hearts, and how a simple check in at school is helping students manage their mental health. 

What used to be called hypochondria is now health anxiety — an excessive worry about developing a serious illness.  While experiences of health anxiety vary, for some people it can take over their lives and even lead to physical symptoms.  Also, a link between conditions like endometriosis and heart disease.  And local scientists help make a big discovery about how cells recycle waste.

When you have dementia, being diagnosed early can help you and your loved ones manage the condition. It could also aid in treatment. A new study has found that in some cases, weight loss and lipid changes happened up to a decade before dementia was diagnosed. Also, concerns that people of a higher weight with restrictive eating disorders could access GLP-1s if doctors aren’t screening patients app...

On social media, an influencer's job is to influence you — to get you to strive for a particular lifestyle or buy a specific product.  In some cases they're pushing medical tests, telling people to take charge of their health with full body MRI scans and cancer detection tools that have very little, or no evidence to support them. Also, we take a comprehensive look at GLP-1s like Ozempic and Wegov...

Victoria is starting to notify women when they have dense breasts on their mammogram, following Western Australia and South Australia.  So what does this information mean? And what should you be doing with it? Also, the concerning state of health policy in the United States. A correction on adolescent mental health. And what western medicine can learn from First Nations communities about autonomy...

Australia has been highlighted in an international report on the rising incidence of bowel cancer in young people.  Our screening age was dropped last year to 45, however the overall uptake of bowel cancer screening remains at about 40 per cent.  Also, a private hospital opening in Melbourne is promising to cut the cost to its patients down to zero.  And what can be done to prevent depression and...

There's a shortage of eggs in Australia, and it might not let up as we brace for the arrival of the H5N1 strain of bird flu.  That strain has shown is can make the jump into humans. But how does it manage? Also, menopause hormone therapy is in high demand. What are the benefits and the risks? And with kids spending less time outside, short-sightedness is on the rise. But treatments are improving. 

There are some things you can do to guard against cognitive decline, and a study has found a hands-on approach is best.  Also, rates of vaccination in pregnancy are falling in New South Wales.  Should Australia follow Italy's lead and screen everyone for coeliac disease? And we hear from two friends who've had strokes 20 years apart. 

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 everything. 

When Gillian suffered a stroke at age 50, Kylie was one of the first friends she reached out to.  It wasn't Gillian's first life-altering medical emergency, having gone through cancer treatment years earlier. 

Despite their strokes being 20 years apart, Kylie and Gillian were left with similar disabilities.  Both faced a long and often gruelling period of rehabilitation — thankfully with partners and friends by their sides. 

When Kylie had her stroke, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) didn't exist.  It took Gillian's stroke, 20 years later, for Kylie to fully understand how much support she was missing out on. 

For a long time many have assumed they can tell how healthy a person is because of their weight. Now, a major global collaboration of experts is challenging that.  A Lancet commission has recommended changing the criteria for clinical obesity to move away from BMI as a sole measure of health.  Also, why a recent review into fluoride in drinking water is flawed — and a higher quality study done in...

We try to give little kids the best start in life, and in supermarkets there's an ever-expanding range of foods marketed specifically for them But how much sugar is in them?   Plus, we peer into the evidence around ultra-processed foods.  References: Ultra-processed foods are ‘pushing aside’ all other food groups to dominate global diets Science Extra: Weight of the world

Bras might seem unrelated to knee injuries, but research suggests otherwise. Women are significantly more prone to tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and wearing the right bra could help reduce this risk. It's a good thing because knee injuries can have devastating consequences for women's health and mobility. And why vaping become one of the biggest health issues of 2024.

The first 2,000 days of life are crucial for brain development. Children learn and grow more during this time than at any other point in their lives. However, research shows many childcare centres are failing to provide proper nutrition: children are going hungry, and meals often don't meet basic dietary standards. Experts are calling for better food support in disadvantaged areas and improved nut...