Health Report

ABC Australia

Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world.

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30 episodes
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Avg 43 min
English

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Friday · 42 min
What happens when you don't use BMI to measure obesity?
Broadening the definition of clinical obesity has lowered its prevalence in children but increased it in mid-life. Researchers hope this will assist clinicians with individualised care and advice for people in larger bodies. If you have polyps removed during a colonoscopy, you may be asked to come back in 3-5 years time for another procedure. But does that timing decrease your risk of cancer? A new study shows fear related harms like post traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder are the mo
October 2 · 41 min
Waking up stiff and sore? It could be PMR
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory condition that mostly affects people over 65 years of age but can happen earlier. Learn what to look out for and when you should get it checked out. A health law expert talks through the regulations that may apply to the LillyDirect platform, which now facilitates dispensing of the pharmaceutical company's own GLP1 medicine in Australia. The Fijian government recently declared a national emergency in response to the rising number of HIV cases in
September 25 · 45 min
Should weight loss injections be easier to access?
After failing to negotiate a way for their weight loss medicine to be listed on the PBS, Eli Lilly has launched an online platform to "facilitate dispensing and delivery of medicines to consumers". It provides a pathway via third party providers that people can use to get prescriptions filled and even home delivery. While diagnoses for adult ADHD are on the rise, we look at medications and other treatments for ADHD in children. Emergency room visits and unplanned hospitalisations occur more o
September 18 · 43 min
Is AHPRA doing enough to curb unsafe prescribing?
Rachel has lived experience of an eating disorder and came across ads for a telehealth weight loss company on a podcast. The ads continue in their podcast feed, more than a year after they lodged a formal complaint with AHPRA. Rachel hasn't been updated on the status of the complaint. Disrupted sleep during pregnancy and the post partum period can increase the risk of cardiovascular events for mothers, and it's now understood these risks can be transferred to the baby as well. PBS listings for
September 11 · 44 min
Why you should speed up your steps, even just in short bursts.
A study looking at step intensity and step count provides helpful advice for those who are limited in their time and ability to increase the number of steps and their pace. The pharmaceutical company closest to getting a drug to market to reduce Lipoprotein (a) levels announced that while it reduces levels of these molecules, that didn’t translate into fewer cardiovascular events. A gene study provides further evidence that cerebral palsy may be a collection of symptoms, rather than a disease
September 4 · 45 min
Validation for people living with chronic pain
An international study of the genes of 2.5 million people confirms fibromyalgia as a nervous system disorder. A rheumatologist explains the relationship to other disorders including CFS/ME and long COVID. Women of reproductive age are getting iron infusions at an increasingly high rate. What’s causing the numbers to rise so sharply and who is missing out? Cuts to USAID are having big impacts on spread of HIV in Africa, according to a leading South African expert. What can we learn from their e
August 28 · 48 min
Same work but no training pathway for unaccredited registrars
It's become harder for medical students to qualify as a fully accredited specialist. This delay is having a profound impact on the wellbeing of doctors and on access to specialists across Australia. A new study shows people experiencing 'gout flares' more frequently have a higher likelihood of developing heart disease. In the news: Twenty years ago, the first dose of the HPV vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer was administered. What's the impact of the research that led to this, from
August 21 · 42 min
Will this help more men get prostate checkups?
New clinical guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer make big changes to screening, with an end to the digital examination and more frequent PSA tests in older age groups. A new global study suggests people over sixty may face serious health risks from heat at much lower temperatures than previously understood. Overuse of active skincare is one of the causes of peri-orificial dermatitis. We ask a dermatologist about the best way to treat it. References Guidelines for the early detec
August 14 · 44 min
BMI fails the test as a predictor of disease risk
A study shows waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) should be included with BMI when assessing patients with abdominal fat for risk of cardiovascular disease. A new rapid 'lateral flow' test is being trialled in the hope it will provide faster and more accurate results to help detect and treat iron deficiencies. We follow up on our earlier story about the lack of access to medical abortion services for women in rural and remote areas. Guest/s Dr Michael Blaha, Professor of Car
August 7 · 52 min
Kate has a history of anorexia. Why was she prescribed weight loss jabs?
‘Kate’ has a history of anorexia nervosa and was once hospitalised for the condition. Yet she was able to access GLP1s to control her weight via a telehealth provider, without being screened for an eating disorder. Surveys of acute pancreatitis are currently underway around Australia, in response to an increase in cases globally. A study from South Australia shows some surprising results with an increased incidence in young people, women and those from a higher socio-economic background. If y
July 31 · 43 min
An Alzheimer's blood test is on the way. What could that mean for you?
Clinicians, researchers, government and industry partners have come together in a new arrangement to trial a blood test that uses biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, in the hope it will aid diagnosis. A new vaccine developed to treat the latest outbreak of ebolavirus is already being tested on humans. But the organisation behind it has also invested in three other vaccines, in case the trials aren't successful. Less than one third of general practices provide medical abortion in Australia, wi
July 24 · 43 min
When is a child ready for their own smartphone?
A new study looks at the health benefits of holding off on a child's smartphone by one year. Is there a "best" age to let them have their own device? Despite the lack of subsidies for CGM devices that monitor glucose levels for those with type 2 diabetes, research shows continuous glucose monitoring can be beneficial for those living with the condition. There is now clear evidence that having high blood pressure as a child can influence health outcomes later in life. New clinical guidelines r
July 17 · 43 min
What can you really learn from a biological ageing test?
There's a race going on in Silicon Valley to find ways to slow down ageing and monetise longevity. Some of the tools used to measure this are biological age tests that give various health readings. Can you biohack your way to reverse ageing? Parents and caregivers of adolescents can worry about the side effects of taking oral medications for acne. A new study into the use of isotretinoin found no association with reduced adult height. A newly updated human-infective RNA virus dataset may be
July 10 · 43 min
Who should be allowed to prescribe medications?
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 Australia, and rising obesity rates are a contributor. A new study assessed three parameters in the
July 3 · 44 min
Could a sleep supplement help reduce chronic pain?
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 stimulators have been in use for many years, but the evidence for their benefit, or otherwise has been u
June 26 · 42 min
Should we ban the use of controversial herbicide, paraquat?
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 vaccine concerns from parents, with changes to messaging on vaccines in the USA filtering through to
June 22 · 19 min
Bird flu has reached Australia. Now what?
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 2003. So what happens now? Further information: Bird flu (avian influenza) CDC Human infections
June 19 · 44 min
Good and bad news on alcohol and disease risk
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 to twenty percent of cases. And a study shows survivors of Ebola can experience longer term neur
June 12 · 45 min
A crackdown on unregulated peptides
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 Australia, arguing the process lacks transparency and opportunities for appeal. And the TGA is cracking
June 5 · 39 min
Does exercise lower your biological age?
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 remote parts of Australia. And the withdrawal of a drug for breast cancer and endometriosis from

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