Dying on ‘own terms’ to get easier in law refresh
Barriers to terminally ill patients accessing assisting dying are poised to be pulled down under a law shake-up, honouring the last wishes of a young man.
health
Medicinal cannabis being ‘exploited’ through telehealth
Companies that prescribe and dispense medicinal cannabis have drawn the ire of doctors and pharmacists warning of gaps in the regulation of medicinal cannabis.
Rural mums forced to travel 500km for miscarriage care
Women in remote areas are 1.6 times more likely to suffer perinatal loss, prompting calls for national standards in care to overcome the tyranny of distance.
Midnight Oil fans rally to rescue drummer’s ‘war horse’
A drummer for one of Australia's most-loved rock bands is battling cancer and says he is surrounded by love after deciding to sell his old "war horse".
Indigenous footy legends lace up for New York marathon
NRL legend Johnathan Thurston and AFL superstar Lance "Buddy" Franklin will make their marathon debuts, with their eyes set on the world's most famous footrace.
States hit emergency alert over ‘unfair’ hospital funds
Pressure is ramping up on the federal health minister as state and territories double down on claims he is walking back on a funding promise.
Psychiatrists win pay leap but system still ‘broken’
A big temporary pay boost for public psychiatrists has been handed down after scores of specialists quit an under-resourced state public system.
Major change to IVF treatments for donors and families
Families involved in an IVF bungle will be permitted to continue their treatment after a provider was found to be exceeding a donor limit.
States and feds go toe-to-toe over hospital funding
The fight over a new health funding agreement is becoming increasingly heated as the states accuse the federal government of adding to pressure on hospitals.
Report calls for an end to rationing of home care spots
The government is being urged to introduce major changes to the nation's aged care system to ensure older Australians can get the support they need.
Over half of Aussie men meet criteria for loneliness
With a growing number of Australian men suffering the effects of loneliness, a "meet a mate" campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of connection.
Missed cancer scans reveal major hospital bungle
Up to 20,000 medical images are being reviewed after a weeks-long delay in the assessment of a cancer patient's scans revealed a systemic failure.
Health body leading by example with Indigenous voice
A First Nations public health voice will put Indigenous perspectives "front and centre" two years after the failure of a national voice to parliament.
Guidelines developed for Australia’s biggest killer
Researchers have identified four key issues faced by people experiencing dementia at home or in aged care to evaluate whether quality care is being delivered.
Illicit drug testing rising despite patchy availability
New insight into the demand for drug checking shows growing safety awareness among users, despite varied approaches to pill testing around Australia.
Grieving mum asks doctors to ‘truly listen’ to parents
Doctors must trust concerned parents when they bring sick children in for help, a mother says after a coronial finding on her three-year-old daughter's death.
Aboriginal people report less respectful hospital care
Aboriginal patients' experiences in hospital can be improved by the right support, but feedback on their care is still poorer than non-Indigenous people's.
Gambling harm impacting mental health and relationships
Gambling rates are on the rise in Australia with the practice linked to serious issues including suicidal thoughts, domestic violence and financial stress.
‘No evidence’: medical experts reject autism claims
Claims by US President Donald Trump linking paracetamol use in pregnant women to autism have been labelled as alarmist and unhelpful by authorities and experts.
Trump links autism to Tylenol, claim disputed by medics
US President Donald Trump says there is a link between the use of pain medication Tylenol and autism during pregnancy, a claim doctors dispute.
breaking_news
death
emergency incident
health
investigation
structural failures
telecommunication service
Fourth death during Optus triple zero outage confirmed
A West Australian has become the fourth confirmed death linked to an Optus outage that prevented customers from calling triple zero.
Bitter pill as drug testing is outlawed
Pill testing has been banned in Queensland after strict new laws were passed in parliament by the state government.
Mist opportunities: nasal spray to boost flu immunity
Parents are being urged to get their children vaccinated against the flu, with the planned rollout of new immunisation methods to help overcome needle anxiety.
Government put on notice over nursing home bed block
State health ministers have put their federal counterpart on blast over a major shortage of aged care beds, which is clogging up the nation's hospital system.
Veterans on frontline for algal bloom response
Defence force veterans are set to patrol Adelaide beaches, helping clean up thousands of marine creatures wiped out by a harmful algal bloom.
Shift needed to help young asthmatics breathe easier
A peak body is highlighting National Asthma Awareness Week by driving a cultural shift in how asthma is treated in childhood - from relievers to preventers.
DR Congo reports 15 deaths in new Ebola outbreak
The Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry says a new Ebola outbreak in the country is suspected of having caused 15 deaths.
Home care help kicks in sooner after political backflip
The rollout of thousands of extra home care spots has been brought forward by the federal government after intense pressure from political rivals.
Slow uptake in GPs prescribing ADHD medication
Barely a trickle of GPs have trained to prescribe ADHD medication despite reforms designed to save patients the expense of seeing a specialist psychiatrist.
Premier cops questions over dumping of health official
A dispute over the appointment of a top health official has led to a corruption watchdog being asked to investigate a state premier and his cabinet.
Baby’s heart issue missed at ultrasound, coroner hears
Parents of a baby who died in hospital just hours after birth say they have faced an anxious two-year wait for answers over their daughter's death.