Health Report - Separate stories podcast

ABC listen

4.3 (83)
MEDICINE
UPDATED WEEKLY

Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world.

8 HRS AGO

Cutting edge IVF technique births eight healthy children

Researchers in the UK have published the results of a clinical trial of an IVF technique known as mitochondrial donation. The technique has been used before, but this latest round provides further evidence of its efficacy and safety. In Australia, about 60 babies born each year will develop a serious or fatal case of mitochondrial disease. We could be next to trial this IVF technique. References Mitochondrial Donation in a Reproductive Care Pathway for mtDNA Disease | New England Journal of Medicine Mitochondrial Donation and Preimplantation Genetic Testing for mtDNA Disease | New England Journal of Medicine Reducing the Risks of Mitochondrial Disease in Children | New England Journal of MedicineMitochondrial donation | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Food price elasticity estimates in Australia | Nature FoodMultimorbidity in Australia - AIHW

9 min
8 HRS AGO

The five things to change for a longer life

There are five risk factors that account for about 50 per cent of the global burden of cardiovascular disease. If you've got all five, your risk is between 24 and 38 per cent, but there is hope. A new study has found quitting smoking, or addressing hypertension in midlife can reap years of benefits. Guest/s Professor Annette Dobson, Professor of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of QueenslandReferences Global Effect of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Lifetime Estimates - NEJM

6 min
8 HRS AGO

Are we diagnosing the right people with ADHD?

Treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with medication can be life-changing. It's consistently associated with lower risks of self-harm, unintentional injury, traffic crashes and crime. However a new study has found as prescription rates increased, some of these associations weakened. Guest/s Professor David Coghill, chair of developmental mental health at the University of Melbourne and president of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association. References Increased Prescribing of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication and Real-World Outcomes Over Time

13 min
8 HRS AGO

Good news in the first months of the RSV vaccine rollout

Since the start of February, pregnant women have been eligible to get vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The vaccine is administered during the 28 to 36 week mark of pregnancy to protect newborns from RSV. As of June, more than 60,000 women had received the vaccine. Guest/s Professor Jim Buttery, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and infectious diseases physician at the Royal Children's Hospital in MelbourneReferences Respiratory syncytial virus preventives for children in Australia: current landscape and future directions

10 min
8 HRS AGO

Mailbag: Financial toxicity

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week. You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

5 min
11 JULY

Trump's threat of 200pc tariffs on pharmaceuticals

US President Donald Trump has flagged the possibility of imposing 200 per cent tariffs on pharmaceutical products coming into America. Last year Australia exported around $2.2 billion in pharmaceutical products to the US — however we imported around $4 billion. Guest/s Elizabeth de Somer, Chief Executive Officer of Medicines AustraliaReferences Guidance on medicinal cannabis prescribing targets unsafe practice - AHPRAWhat's gone wrong with cannabis prescribing? - the Health Report

9 min
11 JULY

Weight loss drugs and the risk of macular degeneration

GLP-1 agonists, like Ozempic and Wegovy, have been heralded as miracle drugs. They started out as diabetes drugs, but have shown benefits well beyond diabetes – including in weight loss and other metabolic conditions. However these are new drugs, and as more and more people take them, researchers are keeping tabs on their effects. While the risk is small, there are potential eye-related side effects. A new study has looked into macular degeneration in particular. Guest/s Dr Marko Popovic, ophthalmologist and retina specialist at the University of TorontoReferences GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Higher Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

10 min
11 JULY

Indigenous people less likely to be waitlisted for a kidney transplant

There’s a gap in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are waitlisted for a kidney transplant. A study has found while eight per cent of non-Indigenous dialysis patients were waitlisted, just two per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients were. In most cases it was because of an incomplete work‐up, because they were awaiting transplant assessment or because their eligibility had not yet been assessed. Guest/s Professor Jacqui Hughes, a kidney specialist at Flinders University and one of the leaders of the National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation TaskforceProfessor Stephen McDonald, a specialist in the epidemiology of kidney disease at The University of Adelaide References Am I on the list? Clinician‐reported factors for kidney transplantation non‐waitlisting among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with kidney failure: a cross‐sectional study

10 min

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4.3

out of 5

83 Ratings

Alternative Health?

20/08/2013

Stokered

Love the show & it's a regular / very enjoyable part of my medical 'reading' while driving to/from ED shifts in northern NSW but interested podcast is listed under Alternative Health. While Dr Swan is far from narrow minded about health care, I see the Health Report as reporting on current mainstream medicine rather than the generally less evidence based alternative stuff.
Missing episodes

26/07/2022

77susbeans

I never miss an episode of this interesting and informative show. It’s a 5 star listen that is only being awarded 3 stars because the ABC hasn’t posted the latest 2 episodes of the show to podcast subscribers.
Biased toward broken convention in nutrition

08/04/2019

Frank O'Bear

Dr. Swan has a fine voice for radio. Almost trustworthy. I listen to hear how out of date Dr. Swan is when it comes to nutritional health science. Eat less, move more and the Mediterranean diet is so 20th century anchored and may only benefit a small segment of the unhealthy community. Whereas current researchers are resolving type 2 diabetes, for example, with creative application of the findings from the last decade of studies.
Finally no-nonsense health reporting!

01/01/2018

Unfoldings

Evidence-based and genuinely interesting. Thank you!