Lives on the line with $8b deficit in rural health
Some country towns are being forced to fundraise for their own community-led medical centres, while those in the cities get double the healthcare funding.
health
Huge cost of missing early intervention for children
A failure to identify health and development issues in young Australians is costing $22.3 billion annually, described as a "wake-up call" for governments.
More details sought on plan to shift autism from NDIS
Children with autism and developmental delay will be moved off the NDIS and onto a new program, but advocates are concerned about how it will impact parents.
Doctor accused of filming in toilets walks from court
A junior doctor accused of filming staff in hospital toilets and showers has not revealed whether he will fight more than 130 charges levelled against him.
Aussie sunscreen product rubbed out after testing fail
A popular brand's sunscreen has been withdrawn from shelves after it failed to deliver consistent SPF ratings during independent testing.
‘Pains me to the heart’: MP fears NDIS autism changes
Anxious parents of autistic children are urging for adequate supports to be in place as proposed changes to the disability scheme take communities off-guard.
Details of review into IVF bungle to remain a secret
A review has found human error and technology limitations were to blame for embryo mix-ups at a leading IVF clinic but its full details will remain a secret.
Biotech giant to slash 3000 jobs, spin-off vaccine arm
Pharmaceutical giant CSL has announced a major shake-up for its vaccination arm and for jobs as the company aims to cut costs.
The wrong fit: children with autism moved off NDIS
A plan to divert children with autism and development delays from the NDIS is crucial to ensure the scheme remains sustainable, the disability minister says.
Animals may be ‘threatened species’ after algal bloom
An assessment of the devastation to marine animals caused by an unprecedented algal bloom will be fast-tracked by the federal government.
Poor effort, one-star: experts pan health rating uptake
Only one-third of packaged foods in supermarkets display health star ratings, making it difficult for consumers to compare items and identify healthy options.
Eat your fruit and veggies to help your mental health
A new study suggests a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help alleviate psychological distress.
Trek tackles heart disease cruelling Indigenous lives
The Deadly Heart Trek is visiting remote communities, to educate, and treat rheumatic heart disease, which disproportionately affects Indigenous people.
Novo Nordisk warns of layoffs as pressure mounts
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, Europe's most valuable company, is eyeing potential cost-cutting measures.
Life-saving tech for kids absent at under-fire hospital
An inquiry has found a purportedly world-class hospital lacks essential technology, duplicates training and operates in isolation from a state health network.
First robotic surgery gives granny ’15 minutes of fame’
A grandmother has successfully undergone Australia's first robotic shoulder replacement, saying she is enjoying her "15 minutes of fame".
Australia paying lip service to Closing the Gap: Thorpe
The latest Closing the Gap report on Indigenous disadvantage has found just four of 19 targets have improved, leading some to question the point of the goals.
Clinics axed as mental health patients count cost
A private hospital giant is set to close all but three of its psychology clinics as data shows more patients putting off treatment due to cost pressures.
Doctor accused of filming staff in toilets denied bail
A trainee surgeon has been refused bail after he was charged with filming hundreds of staff through a concealed camera in a hospital toilet.
‘Good day for patients’: cheaper medicines on the way
Australians are being reassured cost-of-living relief is still on the federal government's agenda as it prepares to legislate changes to make medicine cheaper.
‘House of cards’: disability lifeline as dominoes fall
Australia's second-largest disability employer has avoided sudden collapse but more trouble could be on the way for the strained sector.
Three-person IVF technique pioneered in UK
British scientists have pioneered a three-person IVF technique to spare children from inheriting diseases, with the procedure resulting in eight healthy babies.
Second case of rare mpox strain discovered in traveller
Health authorities have confirmed the second case of a strain of mpox in Australia in a traveller who returned from overseas.
Contact tracing ongoing after rare mpox strain detected
Authorities say contact tracing is continuing for hospital staff who may have been exposed to a man admitted with a rare strain of mpox.
‘Every day it’s pain’: chronic sufferers plead for help
Sufferers of chronic pain are calling for action on the crisis as a report reveals the huge toll the condition takes on Australia.
Time to see a doctor? Watches to track sleep disorder
Smartwatches can detect signs of a common and potentially serious sleep disorder with the medical regulator approving software that analyses bedtime breathing.
Birth trauma preventable yet affects too many women
One in three women experience birth trauma, but experts say it can be prevented by improving access to continuity of midwifery care and antenatal education.
First Nations hepatitis B risks revealed in study
A study of more than 700 people living with a unique strain of hepatitis B, predominantly affecting Indigenous people, has found severe risks to liver health.
‘Invariably fatal’ rare bat virus claims another victim
The fourth case of the rabies-like lyssavirus has led to a man's death in hospital, several months after he was bitten by a bat.
The disease impacting Indigenous kids’ development
Early detection is key to ensure children thrive as clinical data reveals more than a third of Indigenous children experience "fluctuating" ear disease.
Man critical after catching rare bat lyssavirus virus
A man is critically ill after becoming only the fourth known person in Australia to be diagnosed with a rabies-like bat virus.