Health Report
Episodes
Your winter blues might be seasonal depression
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Clarity on vaping changes and a look at the national diabetes inquiry.It turns out Australians are getting close to half of their energy needs from u...
Counting steps or minutes: How to track exercise
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it 10 thousand steps or 30mins? How advice on regular exercise varies.What's being done in response to medication shortages.Deprescribing is when ...
What space travel tells us about ageing
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Take a look at changing teaching methods in the classroom, and why that matters for future health.Australian researchers are developing a new drug to...
Can you cut a common cold short?
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A comprehensive review has delved into the current research into zinc supplements and their effectiveness.Research has shown that people experiencing...
A plan of attack for migraine sufferers
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many people with migraines suffer in the dark for years before they find the right treatment, but one neurologist has suggested a framework to ease t...
Life-saving changes that could detect breast cancers earlier
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia has a successful breast cancer screening program, but experts say it can (and should) be better. New research drives home the importance o...
Maintaining your mental fitness – and a new culprit for Alzheimer's disease?
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The top five things you can do to keep your mental health in check, plus an update on the virus everyone is talking about: bird flu.
The 'sweet poison' fructose myth, and outgrowing childhood allergies
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Correcting the record on fructose, and new research offers some clues about whose allergies might desist as they grow up. Also, new insights from a ...
Are cows giving us bird flu? And everything we (don't) know about nanoplastics
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How bird flu has (probably) gone from cows to humans, as well as the latest on psychedelics for depression and psychotropics in healthcare.How much t...
Iron for long-COVID, 'holy grail' flu shots, and prolonged grief disorder
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers have found a possible link between iron and long-COVIDEach year the flu vaccine is reformulated to target the current strains of influenz...
Sports bras support knees, bird flu in milk, and health after prison release
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Avian influenza particles have been detected in US milk supplies, just how concerning is that?Why are COVID treatment recommendations different depen...
Cow's milk for babies, therapy for trauma, and lives saved by COVID vaccines
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Research into the influence of gender on autism spectrum disorder diagnoses.Calculating how many lives were saved by Australia's Covid-19 vaccine rol...
Norman Swan on what is schizophrenia?
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In light of the Bondi Junction attack, there's been a lot of commentary about mental illness - including schizophrenia.So what is schizophrenia? Wh...
Treating UTIs (without cranberry juice) and re-examining gender care
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is a simpler solution to recurrent UTIs on the way? Plus when should you exercise to get the most benefit?A deep dive into the UK's reviews of gender...
When your private health won't pay, and flu vaccine options
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In health news this week it's cows with bird flu, vaccines for human flu, and GLP-1s for Parkinson's and possibly bowel cancer prevention.When your p...
The bacteria causing bowel cancer, and how to make indoor air safer
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How changes to codeine access impacted the use of PBS-listed opiods. Pinpointing particular strains of bacteria that could lead to bowel cancer. Th...
ADHD medication a lifesaver? Will cancer treatment damage your ovaries?
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Three recent scientific papers looking at ADHD treatment and other health outcomes.Why no one knows what your cancer treatment will do to your ovarie...
Scrapping the term Long-COVID? Is toddler food bad? And the sick quitter effect
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Queensland's Chief Health Officer says the term "long-COVID" should be scrapped, but there are different definitions of what long-COVID is and differ...
Short sleep and diabetes | Menopause and mood | VR patients and emergency
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A 62-year-old man in Germany—called HIM—deliberately received the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination 217 times within a period of 29 months. Researchers were...
Exercise and depression | Melanoma and access to treatment | Comprehensive research on Sarcoidosis
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of global disability, and exercise looks like a candidate for treatment. But which type?Skin cancer is a...
CORONACAST BONUSCAST: New numbers around (super rare) vaccine side effects
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When COVID vaccines first became available in 2021, they were met with celebration. Finally we had some defence against this virus that had struck do...
News on long COVID and indoor air quality | Visualising plaque in your arteries | An under-tested blood fat | Kids' risk of poor health in the youth justice system
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
News this week is The Government response to the long COVID inquiry, which looked into how many Australians are living with long COVID and what could...
Insomnia, sun exposure | Low-carb diets | Sodium in food | Hepatitis in kids | Social prescribing
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Health news: Insomnia: what kind of therapy and/or behaviour changes are more likely to work? And new advice on sun exposure that reflects Australia'...
Food for kids in childhood centres—are their brains being starved? | Getting an autism diagnosis as an adult
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A groundbreaking study from the Queensland Brain Institute has found serious deficiencies in the amount and quality of food provided to kids by Early...
Why fentanyl isn't so big in Australia? | Risks of under-vaccination | Breast cancer after an early scare | AI shaking up radiology
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The addictive painkiller fentanyl has swept through the USA—but its effects haven't been as big in Australia. Why?Vaccination against COVID-19 can ...
GLP1 agonists and weight loss | Opioids and cancer pain | Don't neglect dental care | Some back pain resolves, some lingers | Synaesthesia
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The drug name on everyone’s lips is semaglutide—a seemingly magical substance that can solve all our ills. But it’s not just semaglutide, there...
Australian immunisation rates drop | What are 'incidentalomas'?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What's happening with COVIDAustralian vaccination rates are droppingA new term for chance discoveries on scans
'Life and potential death': Being diagnosed with cancer while pregnant
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The shock of a cancer diagnosis is familiar for far too many people.But when Na'ama Carlin was diagnosed with breast cancer, her health wasn't the on...
Care and detection of younger onset dementia | Breastfeeding aversion
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
First heard in July 2023It’s called ‘young onset’ dementia if diagnosed before the age of 65—and can occur while people are still caring for ...
Where does Australia stand on drug decriminalisation?
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Drug use has been increasing, whether it be cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens, or ketamine. That includes recreational use and substance abus...
ADHD clinics and the diagnosis explosion | Chat GPT and virtual health care
25 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new kind of ADHD clinic is cashing in on surging demand for diagnoses—and promising salaries of more than $900,000 to recruit psychiatrists. As t...
Invigorating ice baths | Waves in the dying brain | Gaming and exercise
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More and more people are tackling the bracing discomfort of ice bath sessions. Alongside several touted health benefits there are some serious risk...
Body dysmorphic disorder | Benefits of a low-salt diet | Primary aldosteronism | How a country buys its drugs
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling dissatisfied with their appearance can become an obsession for some people, and affect quality of life and relationships.Most people can bene...
Concerns about a cancer therapy | Promise and risk in health AI | Where are all the psychiatrists? | Tackling high blood pressure
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
Respiratory illnesses in China | ACL injury in women | GP referrals to psychiatrists
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are eerily familiar of clusters of respiratory infections being reported across China.We know that for some health conditions women are more li...
CORONACAST BONUSCAST: The latest wave, a new vaccine and let's talk about lockdowns
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Another COVID wave, another COVID vaccine and another episode of Coronacast ... sort of?Norman and Tegan will be providing coronavirus updates when n...
Weighing the data on legal cannabis | Overuse of antimicrobials | Delayed cord cutting in premature babies
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2016 Australia legalised cannabis for medicinal use and now the Greens party are advocating for its recreational use as well. The Australian Medic...
Senate report on ADHD | ABC Birth Project responses | Yellow fever and mosquito-borne diseases | Assessing our spending on health
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In March 2023 a Senate inquiry began to review how the health system manages people with ADHD, and the Government has now three months to respond....
Narcolepsy and its strange symptoms | Body clocks and our sleep
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If we don't get enough sleep we're apt to doze off in the day, but for some people, dozing off can signal rare disorder of the brain's sleep-wake ...
Vitamin C, COVID, and cancer | Hand arthritis, and new treatment | Birthing in the COVID world | Blood cancer treatment advances
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A question asked about COVID-19 was whether high doses of intravenous vitamin C could fight it. Two randomised controlled trials showed no benefit ...
Atrial fibrillation, catheter ablation, stroke, and dementia | A bank for poo | Survey to improve care in general practice
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Two of the most common causes of death in Australia, and globally, are stroke and dementia. One cause of stroke is atrial fibrillation—an abnorma...
A new treatment for PTSD | Why blood pressure cuff size matters | Diversity of participants in cancer trials
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an extreme form of anxiety caused by the laying down of bad memories when someone is involved in a threateni...
The Voice is a health issue—hearing again the reasons why | Diabetes and cause of death
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australians will soon vote on changing the Australian Constitution to recognise First Nations people—the Voice to Parliament. When it comes to heal...
The versatility of 3D printing in healthcare—for prosthetics, training surgeons, scaffolds, and new skin for burns
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
3D printing is becoming an incredibly versatile modern tool—there’s scope in engineering, manufacturing, architecture and design—as well as ...
Pre-operative assessments | Kids, sinusitis, and antibiotics | Kids, fainting, and an unusual heart rhythm | Knee replacements and digital rehab
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To have you in the best physical condition before major surgery many surgeons send you for a pre-operative assessment by a physician—does it help?...
The science of sleep
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Humans spend around a third of their lives sleeping, and its management has created a multi-million dollar industry. We discuss the sleep of FIFO w...
A clearer view of diagnostic error | Monkeys, semaglutide, and addiction | Exercise and gamification
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A clearer picture of where and how mistakes are made in medical diagnoses.Monkeys on some Caribbean islands are helping researchers understand more ...
The latest research on Long COVID | Healing worms | Talking about weight loss
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's had probably its first conference on Long COVID.The idea of a worm infection evokes a visceral response—but there are potential health ...
Learning from Mexican food nutrition labels | Perils of sitting | Misleading fertility tests | Which uterine surgery is better?
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mexico has implemented labelling of processed foods with large warnings if the unhealthy ingredients exceed globally agreed thresholds.New researc...
New ovarian cancer test | Testosterone | How the PAP test began | A deep look at sleep
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We heard today about a new test for ovarian cancer. For a long time there's been a search for a way to reliably detect this cancer early on.Som...
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome | Vigorous Incidental Lifestyle Physical Activity | Cochlear implants
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Measuring activity on Cradle Mountain—Norman and Tegan rise to the challenge.Polycystic Ovary Syndrome—a new guideline for doctors and women.Vig...
Importance of The Voice for Aboriginal health | Bush tucker and health in Balgo
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
wide health implications.The remote community of Balgo in the Tanami Desert has many years of hunting for bush tucker. People must leave their Count...
Metastatic breast cancer | Free gene analysis for rare cancers | Best exercises to lower blood pressure
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Metastatic cancer is for the spread of a cancer from a primary site to other parts of the body. There's no nationally consistent way of keeping tra...
New Australian guidelines for cardio vascular disease | Phone-connected device can collect heart rhythm data | Panel discussion on reducing red and processed meat consumption
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To assess the heart health and stroke risk factors of the population, Australian GPs and cardiologists have referred to a study from the population...
Ketamine for depression | Ultrasound instead of X-ray | WHO on Aspartame and dietary guidelines
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In health news Norman and Tegan discuss changes in the health system for medical termination of pregnancy; and about life span vs life expectancy i...
Women and strength training | sports food nutrition and labelling | subjective memory study in twins | opioids not beneficial for back pain
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Strength training is fundamental to most athletes' regimes, but the guidelines are overwhelmingly based on male data.An analysis of labelling on spor...
Improving diagnosis and care in younger onset dementia | Recognising and overcoming breastfeeding aversion
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If dementia is diagnosed before someone is 65 it's called 'younger onset' dementia, and it can occur while people still have family responsibilities...
Health in the news this week | opioid deprescribing | Parkinsons and contaminants | tonsillectomy in adults
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A look at some of the big stories in health over the last week ... cough syrup, Duchenne gene therapy; chemo drugs in the US.Some new prescribing gui...
Talking and tragedy | Psychedelic-assisted therapy and harms | Cannabis in pregnancy | Chronic low back pain
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A recent bus crash in the Hunter Valley claimed 10 lives. Trying to make sense of such tragic events often prompts a reach for advice that sounds ri...
Electrical signals in the dying brain | A positive film about palliative care | New government system to assess trials
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
Medication searches and obesity correlations | Diabetes and exercise benefits | Peripheral artery disease and women
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A recent study has looked at correlations between rates of (Australian) population obesity and searching online for anti-obesity and diabetes drugs—...
Could the shingles vaccine lower dementia risk? And ADHD clinics cashing in on demand
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new kind of ADHD clinic is cashing in on surging demand for diagnoses — and promising salaries of more than $900,000 to recruit psychiatrists.
Warnings about artificial sweeteners | ultra-processed foods and depression | strategies to reduce medical waste
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The World Health Organisation has advised against artificial sweeteners for weight loss because they offer no long-term benefits.Australian researc...
Gene therapy approval advances for Duchenne MD | Psychotherapy for depression in pregnancy | Child neglect links to poor health later | Protection against eye injury
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have voted that when they meet formally at the end of May, approval goes forward for a treatment for D...
Health bots give good empathy but how about medical advice? | hormonal contraception and depression risk | new lung cancer screening program
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When given the choice between a ChatGPT bot or a real doctor, a panel of health care professionals found the bot's responses were both more empatheti...
Normalising menopause | Prostate cancer treatment | Life after an organ transplant | New requirements for cosmetic procedures
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
A virtual assistant fluent in sign language | Biodiversity loss and human health | Quitting vaping | RSV vaccine
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
Where Australia stands on drug decriminalisation
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Drug use has been increasing, whether it be cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens or ketamine. That includes recreational use and substance abuse...
'Life and potential death': Being diagnosed with cancer while pregnant
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The shock of a cancer diagnosis is familiar for far too many people.But when Na'ama Carlin was diagnosed with breast cancer, her health wasn't the on...
Rise in injecting drug use | Schizophrenia and sudden death | Change needed in bypass surgery | Breakthrough in cause of fatigue
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More people are injecting drugs than ever before. So what are the harms, and what are we doing to minimise them?People with schizophrenia have a life...
Bone marrow registry's recruitment drive | Trials and errors of alopecia treatment | Prostate cancer screening
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's bone marrow donor registry is funding a cheek swab program to recruit more donors, as it awaits government funding. Also, the latest in...
What changed TGA's mind on psychedelics | The health gap | Proposed vaping ban | Eye drops for short-sightedness
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Discussing the importance of addressing social determinants of health with a pioneer for health equity. Should vaping products be banned? Many young...
Psychedelic decision under scrutiny | Calcium scoring for heart health | Removing fallopian tubes to prevent cancer
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The debate continues on whether the TGA acted too soon on the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA for the treatment of some mental illnesses. Calls...
Screen time for kids | Lymphoedema awareness | Impact of COVID on organ donation
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How much screen time is too much for young kids? Taking a looking at what digital playtime is doing to children's brains. Calls for better models of...
Psilocybin promotor's response | Mothers immune system and mental health | Relief for those who can't burp
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mind Medicine Australia share their thoughts on the recent approval of psychedelic compounds for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. A study in...
Psilocybin and MDMA | ice baths | antidepressants for pain
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved the psychedelic compound psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression; and MDMA–or ecstasy–...
Knee arthritis and stem cells | Alzheimer's and women | spider venom and hearts | Maturity-onset diabetes and genetic testing
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australians will pay a lot to relieve the pain of arthritis—sometimes opting for unproven therapies using stem cells. Why does this happen?Women ar...
Health news—for Medicare, and for psilocybin and MDMA | kilo creep and knee osteoarthritis | financial reward for weight loss | making healthy weight possible for a population
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Strengthening Medicare Report was released recently, and the key recommendations include changes to the digital health environment; working to sc...
ADHD and access to care | heart transplant tech | sarcoma and heritability
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The prescription rate for medications to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder rose in recent years but was still below what's thought to...
Safety of generic medicines in Australia | Intermittent fasting | Keeping track of mental well-being
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sun Pharmaceuticals is a supplier of generic medications and they're in hot water about possible violations of the manufacturing process at their...
What do royals die of—and how have their deaths shaped history?
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Royals have a tendency to change the course of history — in life and in death. From King George III's apparent madness, to Queen Victoria's geneti...
Mild cognitive impairment | Alzheimer's | ASMR | atrial fibrilation
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) affects 7 or 8 per cent of people in their 60s, and one in four people in their 80s. In an ageing population the...
The cancer risks that run through generations
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
More than two decades ago a major milestone in cancer research was reached with the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Inherited mutations to th...
Ventilation | Wearables | Telomeres
26 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With COVID we've focused on vaccines and masks but there is more we can do, and the situation parallels a public health revolution from the mid-180...
The lowdown on longevity
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's expected now that on the whole we will live longer, but individuals want to know how to spend a longer life in good health—and to set a good ...
Genes, macular degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease | Glaucoma | Blood pressure control
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A new study has found a genetic link between macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease—with implications for drug development.The wellness spa...
Omega 3 fatty acid supplements in pregnancy | The ageing process and autophagy | Dark Winter: a book about biological attacks, accidents, and COVID-19
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fish oil supplements—aka omega 3 fatty acids—are taken by some women during pregnancy. What are the benefits, and who gets them?Research into a...
The Birth Project | A decision aid when considering genetic screening in pregnancy | Australia's national strategy for maternity care
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The ABC’s Birth Project call out is discovering the good and bad of pregnancy and birth in Australia—one of the safest places in the world to gi...
Effect on the body of zero G | Measuring mental health services | Genetic analysis and cerebral palsy
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With humans set to spend more time in spacer, one of the physical things to overcome will be gravity, and it's very important for how our bodies w...
14 November: Paracetamol overdoses | Health literacy is a societal responsibility | Can spine stimulators treat back pain?
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's been talk of changing the packet size of paracetamol tablets, to reduce the self-harm of overdose—but it would be better to investigate an...
How we safeguard big health data | Linked data predicts health trends | More clarity needed on harms in clinical trials | Assessing mitochondrial donation as a preventive measure for some disorders
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How analysts are making health data safer | Linked health data can see the bigger picture of healthcare use | Clinical trials need more clarity on...
October 31: Magda's Big National Health Check | The shocking rise in alcohol-induced deaths
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The ABC series Magda's Big National Health Check us an immersive and personal journey about health in Australia today. It''s hosted by Magda Szub...
More needs to be known about concussion | what is it about elections and hospital building | ultra-processed foods affect your diet | a music pillow calms pre-op patients
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can be defined in pathology, yet only be diagnosed after someone has died and their brain examined.The...
17 October: new thinking on Alzheimer's | wider health effects of weight stigma | Danish cardio-vascular screening trial results
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's a new perspective on how we think about the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease. Are we actually doing the right thing by removing ac...
10 October: When is memory decline a worry? | How to change your eating habits | Robotic surgery for prostate cancer | A leading researcher in women and cancer has died
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The debate may be over about robotic surgery for men with prostate cancer—but can hospitals afford the robots?How do you know if memory lapses are ...
3 October: The silent rise of chronic kidney disease | Improving care for Indigenous youth with diabetes
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
26 September: The benefit of 10,000 steps | The risk of too much TV | Getting restless kids to sleep
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.
What do royals die of — and how have their deaths shaped history?
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From King George III's apparent madness, to Queen Victoria's genetic legacy, the Health Report takes a look back at the illnesses (and deaths) that h...
12 September: Safe drinking | Obesity and cancer | Cardiovascular risk in autoimmune disorders | A new malaria vaccine
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vital health and medical news.
5 September: Melanoma detection | Yoga for heart health | Stroke risk | Life-changing gene therapy
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vital health and medical news.