This Month
Ozempic is already changing what we buy, from clothing to holidays
GLP-1 weight-loss drugs will play a huge role in society. Even now, they are reshaping the consumer economy and what companies are doing to adapt.
Blood test results on Whoop? Welcome to the future of wearables
Users can upload past blood test results to see how their habits and behaviours are affecting their biomarkers.
Cochlear-backed Epiminder overcomes ASX turmoil to hit the boards
The biotech specialises in epilepsy monitoring and prevention, but saw its shares slump on debut. The company says it is focused on its long-term potential.
Mystery global player flirted with battered Monash IVF, was rebuffed
The offshore interest is a reminder that Monash’s share price carnage, triggered by two diabolical embryo mix-ups in a year, has put it on the radar globally.
November
Why women are turning to apps instead of doctors
Female health has been systemically relegated for decades. Influencers and entrepreneurs are filling the gap with simple narratives and purchasable solutions.
Why your exercise routine may not be enough to protect your brain
Dementia has overtaken heart disease to become Australia’s No.1 killer, yet as many as half of cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes.
Cochlear-backed Epiminder bullish about growth ahead of $325m listing
The company says its epilepsy treatment will be far more effective and less invasive than other options as it prepares for commercial production.
Half a million Australians are taking GLP-1s, the weight loss drug touted by influencers
The number of people taking weight loss jabs marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Mounjaro has been calculated for the first time.
PE-owned Device Technologies signs bolt-on acquisition amid $1.5b exit
Sources said Navis Capital still has Morgan Stanley and Jefferies hard at work in exploring exit options at Device Technologies
October
This GP is on the Young Rich List but still makes time for patients
No one can book a meeting with Vu Tran on a Thursday – it’s the day he practises medicine and doesn’t think about his businesses.
How Mesoblast’s founder proved the shorters wrong
After 20 years of false starts, a “stubborn” Silviu Itescu says his gamble to bring stem cell treatments to market is finally paying off.
Popular sunscreen brands in growing crisis as SPF ratings under fire
The country’s medicines regulator has privately detailed its concerns about a popular testing laboratory as high-profile brands are pulled off the shelf.
NSW workers’ compensation reforms must walk unhappy tightrope
If the changes focus only on tightening access and raising thresholds, we’ll treat the symptom, not the cause.
This Aussie exec was once sued over a new job. He’s safe this time
GSK’s new CEO, Luke Miels, will avoid gardening leave, but has different challenges with his latest role.
Nobel Prize for Medicine goes to immune science researchers
Three scientists from the US and Japan won the prize for their work understanding how the immune system avoids targeting healthy cells.
New telehealth guidance challenges online scripts business model
In a blow to telehealth providers, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency recommends doctors have an in-person consultation before prescribing drugs.
September
‘Spiralling into a panic’: Trump’s paracetamol claims on social media
While authorities reassure pregnant women that use of the common painkiller is safe, experts fear the claims have already taken hold across social media.
Trust me, I’m a doctor. Paracetamol is safe during pregnancy
From paracetamol to measles vaccination, the failures of US health policy speak to the broader tragedy of its politics: a loss of and centrism.
AI chatbot for weight loss prompts warning
Some workers are training AI chatbots that steal their jobs, others are training them to free up their time for more important tasks.
The new weight loss drugs to watch (without side effects)
New obesity medicines are claiming to be more effective than Wegovy or Mounjaro and have fewer side effects – here are the ones to watch.