Innovator uses power of AI to change lives
Amid the deep fakes and ‘brain rot’, Australian innovator Farzaneh Ahmadi harnessed the technology likely to define the next decade in order to bring hope to thousands.
Medical
HealthLink backflips over GPs’ fees
Australia’s largest medical messaging service has agreed not to charge GPs to use its referral service in a quiet about-face, caving in to complaints it unfairly targeted doctors who were obligated to use its product.
Jon Stevens’ terrifying health scare: ‘You’re about to drop dead’
The rock singer reveals how he balances his physical and mental health while touring, how following doctors’ advice saved his life in 2009, and why he finds inspiration in The Rolling Stones.
MHT has made a comeback. Here’s what you should know
Night sweats, low libido, hot flushes and Menopausal Hormone Therapy. What doctors want you to know about it, and your options amid a national shortage.
‘Real risks’ but sex hormones OK for teen: judge
A teenager has been granted permission to access cross-sex hormones, despite a Family Court judge saying he expects to see future ‘regret’ cases relating to gender dysphoric children come through the courts.
So alcohol causes cancer. How much is too much?
This week the outgoing US Surgeon General called for labels on alcohol to warn of cancer risk. Here’s what we know about the odds of various levels of alcohol consumption in developing cancer.
What is HMPV and could we be facing the next pandemic?
Experts are setting the record straight on Human metapneumovirus as outbreaks in northern China spark concern.
Mosquitoes with ‘toxic’ semen could stem disease spread: research
Genetically engineered mosquitoes with toxic semen could be a new weapon against tropical disease, Australian scientists said after trialling the novel pest control method.
Diabetes expert transforming Indigenous healthcare
Exercise physiologist Ray Kelly has achieved world-leading results on diabetes in Australia’s backyard, raising the question: ‘If you can do it in Bourke, why can’t you do it in Bondi?’
GPs to be charged for digital referrals
HealthLink has made itself essential to government medical services, now its attempts at ‘harmonising’ could strip the last ‘fat on the bone’ from general practice.
‘Infighting thwarts hospital access’: AMA
Doctors warn state and federal health ministers must share responsibility for aged care and NDIS to keep the nation from getting sicker.
The ‘holy grail’ of heart health: a valve that grows inside you
A device that can infuse itself with human cells is being called a ‘holy grail’ because it ends the need for repeated operations.
Men, it’s time to talk about it
Despite public awareness campaigns and cultural shifts, men still struggle to talk about their mental health, meaning issues fester and can result in dire personal, social and relationships consequences.
Hidden dangers: ‘I was the victim of a silent heart attack’
What happened to me could happen to anyone – and they would not know about it. Silent heart attacks strike with no warning. But you can learn about prevention, and what to do next.
‘Distraction’ put above prevention in urgent care
Australia’s most well recognised independent health institutions say voters hoping for a medical system that prevents disease before it happens are left abandoned by the major parties.
Eight things a dermatologist wants you to know about skin cancer
Worried about missing out on vitamin D? Or getting sun damage while driving, even with tinted windows? Here’s some sensible advice from a specialist that could save your skin.
‘If we don’t operate, you’ll die’: The night Geoff’s life changed forever
In less than two hours, Geoff Lester went from seemingly fit and healthy to being told he would die without immediate surgery. Exercise has been crucial to his recovery.
Abortion in Labor’s ‘too-hard basket’
Labor failed last year to take up calls to expand abortion access in public hospitals as part of its long-awaited response to a Senate report it has had since May 2023.
Vital momentum for genomic medicine
Australia’s implementation of genomic medicine from the realms of research to diagnosis and clinical care for patients is beginning to be fast-tracked, but big challenges remain.
The engineer who sparked a heart surgery revolution
The long road to the invention of Daniel Timms’s titanium heart has forged the native Queenslander into an exemplar for medical innovators.
Endometriosis test gives hope to women
Long left ‘grossly underfunded’, clinicians and researchers have welcomed an innovation in potential testing for endometriosis.
Pressure on PBS advisory body
Without broadening its pool of experts, the government’s medicine funding scheme can only subsidise 77 ‘major’ new drugs each year.
Miracle of medicinal cannabis ‘all smoke … and mirrors’
Hundreds of thousands of Australians are turning to prescribed cannabis products for treatment – but the risks may be greater than any rewards.
We need to talk about medicinal cannabis
Despite weak evidence supporting its use, about half a million Australians have been prescribed it, fuelled by a system where doctors are paid for every prescription they write.
Dabbing: the dangerous trend ‘breaking’ teenage brains
Health authorities are sounding the alarm as teenagers present to emergency rooms with seizures, cyclical vomiting or psychosis. A mother explains: ‘It was like someone replaced my daughter with someone else’.
Holiday hangover? Treat it like a doctor would
Korean pear juice may be hard to find but there are some other ‘cures’ doctors recommend for your aching head after alcohol. The ‘hair of the dog’ is not one of them.
Underachieving medicine fund requires ‘years’ to fix
An investigation by the national auditor has shown Australia’s national drug subsidy assessor faces ‘staff shortages, claim backlogs’ and bureaucratic shambles.
How cancer trial saved a life and a love
Michael Doherty’s adolescent years were a typical Australian story – always on the water, worrying only about the next wave. The one thing he wasn’t worried about: the southern sun.
Off on a holiday roadtrip? Maybe ditch the GPS
A new study finds that cab and ambulance drivers have low rates of death from Alzheimer’s.
Tea and coffee linked to lower risk of mouth and throat cancer
Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day is associated with the biggest decrease in risk, according to a study.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/health/medical/page/8