Health & Living

On a recent show, Health & Living looked at the impact of the Middle East crisis on local pharmaceutical manufacturers. We extend the conversation today with a look at whether retail pharmacies are seeing any shortages in medicine supply and whether consumers should be worried about the prices of their medicines increasing. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Polycystic ovarian syndrome now has a new name: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome or shortened to PMOS. Led by Professor Dr Helena Teede, an endocrinologist and professor of women’s health with Monash University Australia, this change finally happened after years of advocacy and consultation with doctors and people living with the condition. Here to tell us more about why this is a landmark...

From rising shipping and energy costs to disruptions in the sourcing of raw materials and active pharmaceutical ingredients, how vulnerable is Malaysia’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector the impact of the Middle East war? We speak to the Malaysian Organisation of Pharmaceutical Industries about the pressures local manufacturers are facing,  and what this could mean for medicine supply, cos...

Bedtime is often when battles are waged at home. Why is sleep such a point of contention between parents and children? How much sleep do kids really need, and how can everyone in the family have healthier sleep habits? We speak to Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant Developmental Paediatrician.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every mother dreams of giving her child every opportunity in the world, starting with the inviolable security of a citizenship. This is more than just a birth document or a passport - it is an undeniable stamp of assurance that her child has a land to call home. However, Malaysia is one of 25 countries globally with gender discriminatory citizenship laws - here, women are denied the same right as...

Six-year-old Dhia Amanda was born with GNAO1 neurodevelopmental disorder, an extremely rare genetic condition that causes severe dystonia – uncontrollable twisting, stiffening and violent spasms brought on by electrical storms in the brain. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Suriana Welfare Society and Free Malaysia Today, Amanda was able to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, which pr...

Is having a family doctor that you see from childhood into your golden years a thing of the past? In conjunction with World Family Doctor Day, observed annually on 19th May, we speak to Dr S. Kaviyarasan, president of the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia, to understand what the role of a family doctor should be and why it matters for population health.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystud...

People often think that diabetes is just about controlling your sugar intake and taking care of your kidneys, but it’s more than that. What we don’t talk about is how uncontrolled diabetes could also damage other organs, including your heart. We speak to consultant cardiologist Dr Mohamed Nazrul Mohamed Nazeeb and consultant endocrinologist Dr Chiew Ken Seng, both from Subang Jaya Medical Centre,...

The Ministry of Health recently released the National Health & Morbidity Survey 2025, focusing on older adult health. One of the most striking numbers from that survey found that 10% of Malaysians aged 60 and above have dementia, which is up from 8.5% in 2018. How concerning is this rise and can we stop the number from going up? On this episode of Healthy Ageing, we speak to consultant geriatr...

When a child is diagnosed with a rare disease, parents have to navigate more than just medical therapies and hospital visits, but also the deep emotional toll. We explore the mental health impact experienced by parents in the rare disease community, and listen to this month’s impact story on the role of parental support in helping families feel less alone.Image Credit: Malaysian Rare Disorders Soc...

On this month’s open clinic, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Timothy Cheng joins us on an exploration of how our lower limb anatomy supports that most basic activity of walking, why our modern sedentary lives might be harder on the joints than a marathon, and what we can do to keep walking for as long as possible. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It strikes young and it’s highly curable. But only if it’s detected early. We’re talking about testicular cancer, which is most often diagnosed among younger men. On the show, we break past the taboo and embarrassment with consultant urologist Dr George Lee to talk about what’s normal (and not) when it comes to the testes, and how just a few minutes can help you pick it up early.Image Credit: Shut...

There are few things more confusing than medical insurance. How much annual or lifetime coverage do you really need? How do you know what kinds of diseases and treatments will actually be covered? What’s the reality when it comes to the so-called “buffet syndrome” or the perception that insurance doesn’t serve its policyholders? We try to cut through the noise in today’s conversation with Anwar An...

Nurses are often the first point-of-contact for people accessing healthcare services. But being on the frontlines also means that they are most exposed to the effects of climate change. In conjunction with International Nurses Day (observed annually on 12th May), we unpack how the climate crisis is changing nursing and what can be done to empower nurses.Image credit: Sabah Medical Services UnionSe...

Malaria. Dengue. Intestinal worms. Most Malaysians think we’ve moved past these diseases. We haven’t. The parasites persist, adapt, and resurface, and often where no one is looking. Detecting them requires trained scientists like parasitologist Adela Ida Anak Jiram. We’ll be talking to this biomedical scientist about how this profession is quietly safeguarding Malaysia’s public health. Adela is al...

Do you find yourself often thinking of the worst possible outcome in any given situation? What do you do when you feel like the world’s on fire and there’s nothing you can do about it? We speak to clinical psychologist Dr Joel Low about why we catastrophise, and how to stop it. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Health expects a 10% cut of its 2026 budget,  as part of cost-cutting measures to save government funds amid the impact of the Iran war. This cut would be equivalent to RM4.65 billion, which the Minister of Health has promised will not affect essential core services. We explore how this will impact healthcare services to the public.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/...

 Innovator drugs and treatments can be costly, even if they are life-saving in cases of chronic and serious illnesses like cancer. That’s where generic and biosimilar drugs come in, offering patients more affordable alternatives. But how exactly do generics and biosimilars work? Are they as effective? We speak to pharmacist and public health researcher, Dr Mark Cheong to find out. Image...

Radiation therapy using high-powered X-rays are a central therapy in cancer treatment, as it is very effective in killing cancerous cells and shrinking tumours. This form of treatment has come a long way, with advancements to improve the delivery of radiation so that it can be targeted more accurately and reduce side effects to other tissues. Dr Nur Fadhlina Abdul Satar, consultant clinical oncolo...

Research from the University of New South Wales in Sydney has provided the strongest evidence to date that vapes and e-cigarettes can cause lung and oral cancer, due to pre-cancerous changes like DNA damage. Is this a clear sign for health regulators to take stronger action against vaping? What does this mean for those who are using e-cigarettes for smoking cessation? We find out from Dr Muralli M...

The current Middle East conflict and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves across the world as countries grapple with a global energy crisis and rising costs. As supply chains are disrupted worldwide, one of the areas which is seeing worrying short- and long-term impact is that in the medical industry. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen conflict and geopolitics impact...

Beyond The Diagnosis is a series about people, going beyond the diagnosis to explore their personal experiences, their challenges, as well as the impact of their health condition on their loved ones. These stories reveal the importance of understanding the unique struggles and needs of the individuals behind the medical diagnosis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The shocks from the war in Iran have extended to the healthcare industry, with shipping delays and fuel price volatilities threatening the medical device supply chain worldwide. Dr Muralitharan Paramasua, CEO of the Health Ministry’s Medical Device Authority, joins us to unpack the impact of the Middle East crisis on the supply and manufacturing of medical devices, and what measures the Ministry h...

In conjunction with Autism Awareness Month in April, Salbiah Ebbe Hamzan shares the journey of raising an autistic daughter, and the fight to dismantle the barriers in the education system that continue to stand  in the way of inclusion. On this episode of Because Feelings Matter, she speaks about finding joy in the small wins, and how those joys turn into hope, which becomes strength to face...

As the Middle East conflict prolongs, so do worries over a shortage in medical supplies. From pharmaceuticals to medical devices, supplies are warning that we are already seeing signs of an upcoming shortage. We speak to Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Minister of Health, to find out how the government is preparing for this possibility. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.