Reducing Diet Soft Drinks for Better Health
The article discusses the health implications of drinking diet soft drinks in Australia. It explains that many Australians consume these drinks thinking they are healthier due to low sugar content. Ho...
Public Health
Heatwaves Worsen Sleep Apnoea Risks in Australia
Australian researchers found that heatwaves increase the risk and severity of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The study analysed data from over 67,500 people across 17 European countries, collected vi...
Australia's Prolonged Flu Season Raises Vaccination Challenges
The flu season in Australia is lasting longer than usual, with cases rising into summer. Clinicians report that the influenza activity is ongoing, especially with the H3 subtype of influenza A dominat...
Australian Journalist Wins Award for Antibiotic Resistance Story
Amanda Sheppeard from The Medical Republic won an award at the 2025 Global AMR Media Awards for her story on antibiotic resistance in newborns. Her article highlighted how bacteria in Southeast Asia a...
Australia’s Healthcare Delays and Capacity Crisis
A patient in Queensland has been on a public hospital waiting list for a knee replacement for over 570 days. The official average wait time is around 440 days, but some patients wait much longer. The...
NZ Fast-Tracks Digital Hospital Wards for 2026
The New Zealand government announced new digital hospital infrastructure standards for upcoming hospital wards. These standards will ensure new facilities are built with advanced digital systems, incl...
AHPRA Faces Rising Notification Backlog in Australian Healthcare
AHPRA reports a 19% increase in notifications against health professionals in 2024–25. The total number of open notifications grew by 26.7%, with over 12,000 cases still unresolved. Older notification...
Australian Food Safety Advice: Wash Chicken or Not?
The Food Safety Information Council in Australia has clarified that washing raw chicken before cooking is unnecessary and can be harmful. Over half of Australians (51%) still wash their poultry, despi...
South Australia Rejects Abortion Restriction Bill
The South Australian parliament narrowly rejected a bill that would have restricted late-term abortions after 22 weeks and six days. The legislation was introduced by independent MLC Sarah Game, who w...
ADHD Medication Poisonings Rise in Australia
Poisonings from ADHD medications in Australia have increased significantly over the past decade. More than 17,000 exposures were reported to the NSW Poisons Information Centre between 2014 and 2023. T...
Nickel Allergic Contact Dermatitis Declines in Australia
Research from the Skin Health Institute in Melbourne shows a decline in nickel allergic contact dermatitis (NiACD) in Australia over the past decade. The study analysed 3582 patch tests from the last...
Early Cholesterol Screening for FH in Children
Researchers in Norway studied children aged one to 12 to find better ways to detect familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). They used data from Norway’s national screening program covering nearly 25 year...
ADHD Medication Poisonings in Australia Reach New High
Poisonings from ADHD medications in Australia have increased four times over the past decade. In 2014, there were 795 cases, rising to 3,242 in 2023. Most incidents involve children under 15 years old...
US removes menopause hormone warning amid controversy
The US Food and Drug Administration removed its black box warning on hormone replacement therapies for menopause. This warning was the highest safety label, indicating potential severe risks. The FDA'...
Victoria Launches $2.3M Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Program
The Victorian Government has allocated $2.3 million to provide free Japanese encephalitis vaccines in 24 regional areas. The vaccine is now available through GPs, pharmacies, Aboriginal health service...
Australia Faces Rising Specialist Fees and Workforce Shortages
The Australian government and health sector are facing rising specialist fees, which have increased by 78% since 2010. Many Australians, especially those with lower incomes, skip specialist care due t...
Australia Launches National Lung Cancer Screening Campaign
Since July 1, Australia’s National Lung Cancer Screening Program has seen nearly 26,000 low-dose CT scans. The program targets high-risk groups, including smokers aged 50 to 70 with a history of smoki...
Long-term Melatonin Use Linked to Heart Failure Risks
Researchers analysed five years of health data from over 130,000 adults with insomnia. They found that people who used melatonin supplements for at least a year had a 90% higher chance of developing h...
US Conflicting Covid Vaccine Advice Sparks Australian Debate
The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) released new covid vaccination guidelines for children. They recommend that infants and children aged six months to 23 months get vaccinated in 2025-2026, reg...
Hospitals Using Outdated Vaccines Amid Whooping Cough Surge
Australia is experiencing a record-breaking whooping cough outbreak. Many hospitals are still using older diphtheria-tetanus (dT) vaccines instead of the recommended combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertus...