Health Report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have voted that when they meet formally at the end of May, approval goes forward for a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy—a disabling genetic disease. Post partum depression is a significant issue for both women and their babies, and it doesn't come out of the blue—depression can occur before or during pregnancy. Child neglect leads to both later...

When given the choice between a ChatGPT bot or a real doctor, a panel of health care professionals found the bot's responses were both more empathetic and also higher quality information. A study on the effect of hormonal contraception suggests that a history of hormonal contraceptive-associated depression could be a risk indicator of postpartum depression. Last week the Minister for Health and Ag...

Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.

Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.

Drug use has been increasing, whether it be cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens or ketamine. That includes recreational use and substance abuse. So it begs the question: Has criminalising drugs ever worked? And what needs to be done to drive down the harms associated with this increasing drug use? If you're in need of support, you can contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline on 18...

The shock of a cancer diagnosis is familiar for far too many people. But when Na'ama Carlin was diagnosed with breast cancer, her health wasn't the only consideration.  If you're in need of support you can contact  Mummy's Wish  or  Hope for Two .

More people are injecting drugs than ever before. So what are the harms, and what are we doing to minimise them? People with schizophrenia have a life expectancy 25 years younger than the average Australian, and one of the reasons is heart attacks.  Meanwhile, do surgeons need to change their approach to coronary bypass surgery?  And Australian researchers uncover a potential new treatment for a r...

Australia's bone marrow donor registry is funding a cheek swab program to recruit more donors, as it awaits government funding.  Also, the latest in alopecia treatment for those who want to reverse hair loss — and the perspective of those who don't.  And prostate cancer screening can be imprecise and invasive. Could delving into the genome help narrow things down?

Discussing the importance of addressing social determinants of health with a pioneer for health equity.  Should vaping products be banned? Many young Australians are getting addicted to nicotine without always being aware that's what they're consuming.  And eye drops could be used to slow the progression of short-sightedness, which is on the rise thanks to our screen-dominated world. 

The debate continues on whether the TGA acted too soon on the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA for the treatment of some mental illnesses.  Calls for Australia's cardiovascular disease guidelines to recommend coronary calcium scoring for patients at intermediate risk.  And did you know ovarian cancer often originates in the fallopian tubes? A simple surgical procedure could drive down cases. 

How much screen time is too much for young kids? Taking a looking at what digital playtime is doing to children's brains.  Calls for better models of care for people living with lymphoedema, to avoid deterioration and costly hospital stays.  And organ donation is yet to fully recover from a pandemic-driven dip. Why aren't more people consenting?

Mind Medicine Australia share their thoughts on the recent approval of psychedelic compounds for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.  A study in Sweden has looked at a possible association of maternal and paternal primary antibody immunodeficiencies — and if this provides a natural test of a hypothesis about parental immune activation. An intriguing story about people who can't burp, and turn...

The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved the psychedelic compound psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression; and MDMA–or ecstasy–for treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of researchers think this is premature. More people are tackling the bracing discomfort of ice bath sessions—for the touted health benefits ... but there are some serious risks, so pay atte...

Australians will pay a lot to relieve the pain of arthritis—sometimes opting for unproven therapies using stem cells. Why does this happen? Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have long looked for the reason why— it may be related to the amount of 'cognitive reserve' some groups have been able to accumulate. Researchers have found that a protein i...

The Strengthening Medicare Report was released recently, and the key recommendations include changes to the digital health environment; working to scope of practice; and modernising My Health Record. Psilocybin and MDMA are now approved as treatments for depression and MDMA—with caveats. And still need co-ordination between clinicians and manufacturers (the TGA has not approved or registered speci...

The prescription rate for medications to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder rose in recent years but was still below what's thought to be the extent of the condition. Organ donation is one of the great miracles of our time, but that's not to say it's easy. To be viable, a heart needs to be transplanted within four or five hours, and this is a huge logistical challenge for a country the...

Sun Pharmaceuticals is a supplier of generic medications and they're in hot water about possible violations of the manufacturing process at their facility in Gujarat, India. Fasting diets like the 5:2 or the 16/8 have become very popular. While there's lots of evidence for the benefits of the 5:2 diet in animals, there's hasn't been much in humans. The results are not out from a trial of intermitt...

Royals have a tendency to change the course of history — in life and in death.  From King George III's apparent madness, to Queen Victoria's genetic legacy, the Health Report takes a look back at the illnesses (and deaths) that have shaped the world. Note that the change of broadcast time mentioned at the end of the program refers to our live program on Mondays.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) affects 7 or 8 per cent of people in their 60s, and one in four people in their 80s. In an ageing population the number of those with mild cognitive impairment will increase. There's a new perspective on the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease. Are we doing the right thing by removing accumulated amyloid protein from the brains of people with it? Some people e...

More than two decades ago a major milestone in cancer research was reached with the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Inherited mutations to these genes can dramatically increase the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers. The discovery opened up new ways of knowing who is at risk of cancer, how to treat the cancer, and even how to prevent it happening in the first place. This moving...

With COVID we've focused on vaccines and masks but there is more we can do, and the situation parallels a public health revolution from the mid-1800s. If you're a modern human you likely carry a bit of tech on you to track how physically active you are. But how can we be sure it's really promoting activity? Telomeres are small 'caps' on the ends of your chromosomes—the length of telomeres is seen...

It's expected now that on the whole we will live longer, but individuals want to know how to spend a longer life in good health—and to set a good foundation. This program was first heard on 25 April, 2022 Dr Norman Swan's book was published in July 2022. Guest: Prof Luigi FontanaLeonard P Ullman Chair in Translational Metabolic HealthDirector, Healthy Longevity Research and Clinical ProgramCharles...

A new study has found a genetic link between macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease—with implications for drug development. The wellness space often refers to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide—or NAD. It's found in products promoting longevity—so may give you pause for thought—but shows promising results for human eyesight. High blood pressure is one of the most toxic risk factors for heart...

Fish oil supplements—aka omega 3 fatty acids—are taken by some women during pregnancy. What are the benefits, and who gets them? Research into ageing has revealed a number of processes controlling its rate. Autophagy helps cells do a clean up. Researchers are wondering if it could be manipulated. Is it possible to say whether a pandemic is a natural spillover from an animal, or an accidental relea...

The ABC’s Birth Project call out is discovering the good and bad of pregnancy and birth in Australia—one of the safest places in the world to give birth, but which sometimes fails women, their families, and clinicians. Parents-to-be now have access to simple blood tests that can indicate whether their baby might have a chromosome issue. But parents who want peace of mind or want to know the sex of...