Episodes
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How fundraising can push forward the frontiers of medical research
More than 30 medical research institutes have joined forces for Australia’s first Medical Research Giving Day, amid warnings about the financial sustainability of the sector. Researchers say funding shortfalls could slow the search for new treatments, earlier diagnoses and better care for…
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Your risk of Motor Neurone Disease where you live: "Australians would be shocked".
Which disease has an annual death rate that is two thirds of the nation's road toll - and is getting worse? The same condition has numerous, hugely famous patients and patrons at home and around the world - yet we don't know why most cases occur. Now, research into Motor Neurone Disease has...
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INTERVIEW: What does Australia's latest health report reveal ?
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released its 2026 health report, revealing the key drivers of health outcomes across the country, and where targeted attention is most needed. Researchers say Australians born today are expected to live longer than previous generations, cancer...
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'The need is constant': Red Cross calls for more blood donors
For families relying on transfusions, donated blood can mean the difference between life and death. For others, the decision to donate is shaped by culture, experience and how well they understand the system. Lifeblood is urging more Australians to donate blood, warning the need is constant and...
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INTERVIEW: Professor Margie Danchin on falling vaccination rates
A paediatrician says misinformation about childhood vaccines coming out of the United States has led to a huge spike in vaccine hesitancy in Australia in the past year. Professor Margie Danchin from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute says the latest figures show Australia has the lowest...
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Advocates cheer decision to make showers free for home-based aged care
The lion's share of attention this week has been on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, with the federal government announcing cuts that it's estimated will see tens of thousands removed from the scheme. But there have also been developments in aged care too- the federal government has now...
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"Difficult, unavoidable": NDIS overhaul aims to reduce participation and target fraudulent providers
The federal government has announced a major overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in efforts to cut down fraud and spending in the $50 billion program. Welcoming some aspects of the reform, disability advocates say there must be further clarity around cuts to support and...
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Free RSV vaccinations for older Australians
The Federal Government has announced free R-S-V vaccinations for older Australians, in a push to better protect those most at risk from the potentially deadly respiratory virus. The $445 million dollar investment means Australians aged 75 and over - and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander…
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'It impacted the relationship with my culture': When culture, cuisine and a chronic illness combine
Coeliac disease affects one in seventy Australians, according to the Wesley Research Institute. But when food is integral to cultural identity, the impacts of this autoimmune disease — especially on multicultural and diasporic communities in Australia — can extend beyond the physical, affecting...
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Report finds widespread discrimination against trans and gender diverse people
A new report has found discrimination against trans and gender-diverse people is widespread, with serious impacts on safety and dignity. Released to coincide with the International Transgender Day of Visibility, it makes key recommendations for governmental reform.
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INTERVIEW: Could First Nations methods improve mental health treatment?
The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which are...
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Unapproved Peptides: When Social Media Replaces the Doctor
Once confined to bodybuilding forums and elite sports scandals, unapproved peptides have now moved into mainstream wellness and are being marketed online as tools for bio-hacking and longevity. So why are people turning to online communities and influencers for advice, and is there a breakdown in...
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Could First Nations wisdom and experience improve mental health and wellbeing?
The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of the nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people…
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Scottish MPs reject assisted dying - and England's House of Lords looks set to follow suit
A WARNING THAT THIS STORY MAY BE DISTRESSING FOR SOME LISTENERS: Scotland's Parliament has rejected legislation that would have made Scotland the first part of the United Kingdom to allow terminally ill adults to end their lives. Members of the Edinburgh-based legislature voted 69 to 57 against a...
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'It shouldn't be painful to be a woman': Victorian report lays bare health care battle
The Victorian government has released the final report of an inquiry into women's experiences of pain - and it's made for some uncomfortable reading. Shaped by the experiences of 13,000 women and girls, the report has revealed gender health gaps, experiences of medical bias, sexism and misogyny,...
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'Heartbreaking': Experts argue egg donation rules could change to help Australia's fertility issues
Demand for donated eggs is growing in Australia as more people face fertility challenges. But the demand for eggs far outstrips their supply and now, experts are arguing Australia should consider changing the rules around donation.
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New concussion guidelines launched to help patients get the right care
New national clinical guidelines for the treatment of concussion have been released. They are aimed at helping healthcare professionals treat patients with greater consistency, amid concern that providing the right care can still be a blind spot.
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Aged care reforms: Who will pay more under the new system?
A long-awaited Aged Care Act comes into force today [[Nov 1]], four years after a Royal Commission recommended major reforms to the sector. The federal government says it will give older Australians more choice and access to in-home support, but there are concerns many people will end up paying...
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Kidney disease drug added to PBS, helping 65,000 Australians
The federal government will add a medicine for chronic kidney disease into the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. More than 65.000 Australians are expected to benefit from the cheaper access to Jardiance , also known as Empagliflozin.
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Peanut butter loving babies are licking allergies, study suggests
A decade after a landmark study proved that feeding peanut products to young babies could prevent them developing life-threatening allergies, a new US study has shown it's making a big difference in the real world. The study has found about 60,000 children in the United States have avoided...
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Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, researchers say
Australian researchers have found breastfeeding can protect women against breast cancer by building up their immunity. According to a new study, pregnancy and breastfeeding produces infection-fighting T-cells that help guard against abnormal cells that could develop into cancer.
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Is your job burning you out? Experts say better boundaries and workplace connections can help
Despite a growing awareness around mental health, research shows burnout in the workplace is still a major challenge. Experts say without proper training and healthy boundaries in the workplace, more and more Australians will consider leaving their jobs in the next year.
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The miscarriage data gap and 'invisible loss' leaving Australian women behind
A new report is calling for a national database on miscarriage to address ongoing invisibility around miscarriage and early pregnancy loss in Australia, particularly for First Nations women and in rural and regional communities. This comes as the government announced a $9.5 million funding…
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California sends ultraprocessed school meals to the sin bin
California is to phase out certain ultraprocessed foods from school meals over the next decade under a first-in-the-nation law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Schools will have to start removing those foods from their menus by July 2029, and districts will be barred from selling them for…
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New workplace laws aim to remove extra pain burden on parents arising from stillbirth
Laws have been introduced into federal parliament to stop employers from scrapping leave entitlements when families face the tragedy of a stillbirth or death of their baby.
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GP snapshot reveals why the job has become more complicated
A snapshot of Australian general practice has revealed that GPs are having to see patients for longer appointments to treat more complex medical needs. The Health of the Nation industry survey of almost 2,500 GPs also shows a growing number of general practitioners are managing patient conditions...
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Advocates alarmed as major change for autistic kids looms
There are fears that many children with autism or learning difficulties will fall between the cracks of a new support system that aims to limit access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Thriving Kids initiative will be rolled out from the middle of next year, with a focus on…
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INTERVIEW: Could a First Nations voice help tackle stubborn public health challenges?
Nearly two years after the failed referendum saw a First Nations voice to parliament shot down, some NGOs and state governments have been taking the initiative to follow the wishes of the majority of Indigenous communities in Australia who voted for this special representation. Australia's...
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Australian men face loneliness crisis: what’s driving it and how to fix it
Loneliness among men has been described as a "crisis" in Australia, and it appears to be on the rise. This social isolation can not only hurt mens mental health and overall wellbeing, it is also costing the Australian economy billions of dollars. A recent Australian study could hold the answer as...
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A new First Nations voice to guide Australia's public health sector
The Public Health Association of Australia has announced they will be establishing an Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander voice to help guide their work after a near unanimous vote by their members. Nearly two years after the failed referendum saw a First Nations voice to parliament shot down,...
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Decision to allow registered nurses to prescribe medicines solves many health service problems
Tens of thousands of registered nurses across the country will be able to up-skill to prescribe medications usually authorised by a doctor. It's a reform that could change the medical landscape in Australia... and the lives of many patients.
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New guidelines developed for helping people with dementia
A framework has been developed to track and improve the treatment options for dementia patients in aged care. The proposal come after the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare named dementia as the leading cause of death in Australia.
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I feel like privacy is dead: IVF data breach triggers interest in class action lawsuit
After years of trying to conceive, Isabel Lewis thought the hard part was over — until cybercriminals targeted her fertility clinic. The data breach at Genea Fertility included patient's medical histories, diagnoses and treatments, medications and prescriptions, as well as pathology and…
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Loo scrolling: Study investigates link between this bathroom habit and a painful health condition
Using your phone while on the toilet could be linked to an increased chance of haemorrhoids, according to a study from the United States. So if you're a loo scroller, the extra time spent on the toilet could be doing you more harm than good.
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Australian women are living longer but it's not all good news
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has produced a snap shot of Women’s health across the life course. While rates of cancer have gone down for women over the last 25 years, younger women continue to experience higher rates of depression and other mental health conditions.
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Radiotherapy could save your life: dispelling the misconceptions
Despite being a proven life-saving treatment, 1 in 5 Australians who need radiotherapy never receive it. This year, on September 7, the first-ever World Radiotherapy Awareness Day will be launched, and experts say it's an opportunity to dispel fears of the treatment.
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20,000 more aged care packages more quickly after Labor agrees to Coalition deal
20,000 more home care packages are to be available to vulnerable older Australians after the federal government was forced to make a deal with the Coalition. It was the first major test faced by Labor since it was re-elected, which was cornered in the senate to make changes to its aged care…
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Australia - allergy capital of the world
The number of Australians living with allergy has doubled in nearly 20 years, according to a new report, which examines the financial and personal costs of the chronic condition. Demand for services is unprecedented, and experts warn allergy does not just impact health - it can reshape sufferers’...
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Autism stakeholders welcome new government commitment - but are perplexed they weren't consulted
The number of children being diagnosed with autism is rising, putting a heavy strain on the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The government has responded, announcing a plan to divert children away from the NDIS to a new scheme called Thriving Kids. Parents and autism advocates say they were...
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Would you seek contraceptive advice from TikTok?
Public health experts have raised concerns about the beliefs and behaviours of individuals of reproductive age on social media. In a recent study, La Trobe University researchers looked into the rise of contraceptive misinformation on TikTok.
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Chikungunya: a new mosquito-borne virus to contend with
A chikungunya outbreak in China has infected more than 7,000 people. Chikungunya causes fever and joint pain, but in some cases can be fatal. There is no vaccine or real treatment. Epidemiologist Jason Rasgon, from Penn State University, explains how the disease is transmitted, and why it seems…
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Global fertility rates are dropping: it could spell disaster in the future
Around the world, fertility rates are dropping. The rate for each generation to replace itself is an average of 2.1 births per woman - and many countries are well below that figure. Does it matter? Surely reducing the population will make the Earth's resources go further? In this edition of…
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INTERVIEW: High hopes for new HIV vaccine
Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle have tested a new HIV vaccine using mRNA, the technology behind many COVID-19 vaccines. Scientists say results from the early-stage clinical trial offer hope for significant progress in the global effort to develop a safe and effective...
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Are you delaying the dentist because of cost? Your children shouldn't be.
The Australian Dental Association says around 1.5 million kids are missing out on free dental care every year. This Dental Health Week, dentists are urging parents to check if they're eligible for the free dental cover and to brush up on their understanding of good oral hygiene. Meanwhile,...
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Hepatitis warning: migrant communities disproportionately affected by the silent killer
A new report has revealed just how disproportionately migrant communities are affected by hepatitis. Underdiagnosis of the infection, and connecting patients with care and treatment, remain the major challenges.
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Australian early intervention program for deaf children piloted in Japan
An Australian early intervention program for deaf children is, for the first time, being piloted overseas. The therapy is for children whose family have chosen for them to be fitted with a hearing device such as a cochlear implant. The collaboration between not-for-profit The Shepherd Centre and...
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"We need the slip, slop, slap of brain health - now": Advocates call for new national approach to dementia
A leading scientist has recommended that dementia be treated as an economic crisis as well as a health issue. Over 400,000 Australians live with dementia, and with an ageing population, this is expected to double by 2050. But dementia advocates say research funding in Australia lags behind other...
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Report finds people with chronic pain continue to suffer from stigma
Around four million Australians, or one in five, are living with chronic pain. Many report feeling overlooked and ignored within the healthcare system, prompting experts to call for greater national investment, including a more holistic approach to care.
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Second case of rare mpox strain discovered in traveller
The second Australian case of a rare strain of mpox virus has been detected in south-east Queensland. Queensland Health says the patient - who is now being treated at a Brisbane hospital - acquired the virus in central Africa.
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The final farewell isn’t easy. This growing service helped Vibha and thousands like her
Death confronts 180,000 people in Australia and their families every year. Yet few have prepared a will or left clear instructions about their end-of-life choices. To help ease the process, an expanding social enterprise offers support and guidance.