Vital heart test’s funding in doubt
For six years the Medicare Heart Health Check has been the only diagnostic test for heart disease risk; by June it will run out of funding without government intervention.
Medical
Genetic discrimination ban stranded by Labor
What should have been a celebratory final sitting week for Stephen Jones saw him grilled by crossbenchers for leaving a long promised genetic discrimination ban to the next government.
From ‘death sentence’ to ‘treatable disease’: lung cancer battle levels up
Lung cancer is the biggest killer of all cancers, with one person in Australia dying of the disease every hour. But with a new screening program, it need not be a death sentence.
RFK Jr and the measles outbreak
Now he’s health secretary, not a gadfly, as unvaxxed children are hospitalised.
Free online mental health care a lifesaver
More Australians will soon have services tailored to support them through mental crisis, ranging from self-care tools to treatments for severe and chronic disease.
We could be paying too much for knee and hip replacements
As more baby boomers have their joints replaced and the population struggles with obesity, we need to ask whether our care is too expensive and too reliant on private insurance.
Breakthrough: Trial offers miracle ‘cure’ for advanced melanoma
A groundbreaking clinical trial has proved that the majority of melanoma patients whose cancer has spread to the brain can be ‘cured’.
Bulk billing going backwards in every seat
Not one electorate in the country had recorded an increase in GP bulk-billing rates since Labor came to power, analysis shows.
Pandemic measures drove mental health disparity
‘Unintended consequences’ of pandemic health policy left inequality in psychiatry access at their highest since 2015, research shows, with declining care hitting low-income households hardest.
Battling cancer was no walk in the park. I wasn’t prepared for what came next
When Aalia Ahmed visited her doctor about her ‘strange symptoms’, he assured her she was not going crazy.
How Christian’s prostate cancer went from ‘out of control’ to undetectable
Scientists ‘excited’ by promising trial results showing men with aggressive prostate cancer felt better and lived longer when taking a combined therapy.
The pill’s about to get cheaper for some. What are your new options?
Women might want to revisit their choice of contraception as changes are about to be made on price and availability. Here’s an expert’s take on what’s happening.
Ban or prescribe? Who got it right on vapes
England encouraged smokers to switch to vapes and even gave them to pregnant women at antenatal clinics. Now it’s looking to Australia’s tough stance as medics say the English policy has been a disaster.
What the government’s boost to menopause support means for women
For women who experience adverse effects of menopause, help can be hard to come by. Soon, experiences such as Reena Murray’s should be the norm, not the exception.
This disease is hitting too many Australians. Why is no one talking about it?
About 180,000 Australians live with this painful, lifelong condition involving inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. But as cases grow globally, Australia leads the pack.
How disability was hijacked by the privileged
I have ADHD but I am not disabled, I am not a victim. We need to direct our conversation, attention and – most important – funding to the right causes.
Why can’t I pick up my prescription? Australia’s medicine chaos explained
ADHD drug shortages wreak havoc on patients returning to work and school. It is just one symptom of Australia’s ailing medicine access systems, explained here.
Labor to invest $573m in women’s health
Improved access to birth control and treatments for UTIs, menopause and endometriosis will reform care for a health area ‘shrouded in shame and stigma’.
How much sleep do you need to stay heart healthy?
Sleeping too little or too much doesn’t just make you cranky, forgetful or tired. This little-known risk factor affects millions of Australians.
The scientific fight over whether ageing is a disease
A small but growing movement of scientists wants to classify ageing as a disease. They face an uphill battle.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medical/page/3