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 Australia

References

• Guidance on medicinal cannabis prescribing targets unsafe practice - AHPRA
• What's gone wrong with cannabis prescribing? - the Health Report

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 Toronto

References

• GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Higher Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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 Taskforce
• Professor 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

The Human Exposome Project is a global effort underway to understand how the environment influences our health.

It includes exposures from our diets, our lifestyles and our behaviors.

It’s hoped that, like the Human Genome Project, it will help us prevent and treat things like heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Guest/s

• Fenna Sillé, one of the coordinators of a proposed Human Exposome Project, and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

References

• The Human Exposome Project

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

References

• Generation Cancer - 4Corners
• Mapping the chemical complexity of plastics - Nature

CAR T-cell therapy is an immunotherapy which can cure patients with aggressive blood cancers. 

However, until now, it hadn't been proven effective against solid tumours. 

Researchers have used gene editing techniques to arm CAR T-cells with extra proteins, to target these tumours. 

References

• Rewiring endogenous genes in CAR T cells for tumour-restricted payload delivery - Nature

We might need an update to first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, according to some experts.

In Australia metformin is the first-line treatment, with drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors considered a second-line approach if needed.

They work by increasing glucose excretion in the urine.

In the United States it’s common to use them as first-line treatment alongside metformin. Is that the right approach?

Guest/s

• Dr Ted Wu, endocrinologist and director of the diabetes centre at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney

Years after pinpointing a faulty protein in the brains of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, researchers have made another breakthrough.

The team at the University of Sydney was able to target this SOD1 protein with a drug treatment in mice. They observed a “dramatic” improvement in their motor skills.

Now comes the tricky task of figuring out how to target the SOD1 protein safely in humans, paving the way for a potential treatment to slow progression.

Guest/s

• Professor Kay Double, Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney

References

• Copper supplementation mitigates Parkinson-like wild-type SOD1 pathology and nigrostriatal degeneration in a novel mouse model

For close to 50 years, a type of immunotherapy called Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) therapy has been used to treat early-stage bladder cancer.

It’s still the regimen of choice, but a new study has indicated that combining BCG with a chemotherapy drug might be better for some.

It could also go some way to addressing a global shortage of BCG, because it requires fewer doses of the immunotherapy.

Guest/s

• Professor Dickon Hayne, head of urology at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth and leader of urological research at the University of Western Australia

References

• Mitomycin + BCG as Adjuvant Intravesical Therapy for High-Risk Non–muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Randomized Phase 3 Trial

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is taking Atlus, Mamamia and Newscorp's News Life Media to court, accusing them of advertising medicinal cannabis. 

Also for the first time in a decade, guidelines for the screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes have been updated. And more information revealed about the Monash IVF debacle. 

References

• Atlus, Mamamia and News Life Media face court for alleged unlawful advertising of medicinal cannabis
• Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) 2025 consensus recommendations for the screening, diagnosis and classification of gestational diabetes
• How the most human of errors led to a woman giving birth to a stranger's baby - the Age

The surgeon general of Florida wants to scrap vaccine mandates in the state, including requirements for children to be vaccinated to attend school.  

Also, a Eureka Prize win for infectious diseases research for a team that found a single vaccine could protect against both meningococcal B and gonorrhea. 

And a call-out for information on GLP-1 prescribing — are they being prescribed to people with no clinical reason to take it?

• Answering common questions about GLP-1s for weight loss
• GLP-1s and eating disorders — what are the risks?

When a person is suffering with psychiatric symptoms we don’t typically look to the immune system for clues.

But a study suggests that in a subset of young people an autoimmune issue could be at play – although the exact mechanisms are unclear.

While it was a small sample size, a majority of the study participants saw improvements when they received tailored immunotherapy.

Guest/s

• Associate Professor Elizabeth Scott, youth mental health at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney

References

• A Case Series of Young People Receiving Adjunctive Immunotherapy for Neuroimmune-Mediated Major Mood or Psychotic Syndromes

The number of overdose deaths involving pregabalin shows that more education is needed for those prescribing it.

The Monash IVF review raises questions for the way the industry is regulated.

And a look at the Massachusetts Model which aims to limit the influence of private equity in health care.

References

• Victorian Overdose Deaths 2015–2024
• Regulating Private Equity in Health Care — The Massachusetts Model

Millions of Australians suffer from low back pain, and it’s a leading cause of disease burden overall.

Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) addresses the physical, psychological and social factors that contribute to low back back.

A new study has looked at how long the benefits from CFT last, looking three years out from the start of treatment.

Guest/s

• Professor Mark Hancock, Professor of Physiotherapy at Macquarie University

References

• Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain (RESTORE): 3-year follow-up of a randomised, controlled trial

Evidence shows the ovaries are not to blame for most cancers formerly known as 'ovarian cancer'.

The most common, and severe, actually begin in the fallopian tubes and fimbriae.

Studies suggest opportunistic surgery could be the best prevention.

Guest/s

• Associate Professor Orla McNally, director of gynaecological oncology at the Royal Women's Hospital, and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

References

• Gauging the Magnitude of Missed Opportunity for Ovarian Cancer Prevention
• FIGO position statement on opportunistic salpingectomy as an ovarian cancer prevention strategy

There's growing evidence of the link between the gut microbiome and our sleep — or lack of sleep. 

A new study has tried to identify which bacteria contribute to the risk of insomnia, and which might protect against it. 

It's information that could be used in the future to develop effective treatments. 

Guest/s

• Professor Ancha Baranova, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University

References

• Investigating bidirectional causal relationships between gut microbiota and insomnia

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

Taking too many supplements with vitamin B6 in them can lead to concerning symptoms and even long-term nerve pain. 

Now, more concerns are being raised about B6-containing products, this time energy drinks that contain far more than the daily recommended amount. 

Also, a new study estimates the lives and life-years saved by COVID-19 vaccination — and another study assesses the safety of updated mRNA vaccines. 

References

• Global Estimates of Lives and Life-Years Saved by COVID-19 Vaccination During 2020-2024 | Health Policy | JAMA Health Forum | JAMA Network
• Safety of JN.1-Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines | Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

A diet full of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has generally been thought to be bad for your health – and a trigger for disease.

But for the first time a study has looked at the health effects of UPFs within the context of national dietary guidelines.

And while a minimally processed diet is still better for you overall, it’s not all bad news if you’re sticking close to those directions.

Guest/s

• Dr Sam Dicken, Centre for Obesity Research, University College London

References

• Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial

It can be hard to know when a woman is in perimenopause, which is the transitional phase leading up to menopause.

In the past irregular periods were thought to be one of the first indicators of fluctuating hormones.

But vasomotor symptoms – like hot flashes and night sweats – are also reliable indicators, especially for women who already have inconsistent menstrual cycles.

Guest/s

• Professor Susan Davis, director of the Monash University Women’s Health Research Program and head of the Women’s Endocrine Clinic, Alfred Hospital Melbourne 

References

• Prevalence and severity of symptoms across the menopause transition: cross-sectional findings from the Australian Women's Midlife Years (AMY) Study

Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, is approved in Australia for use in treatment-resistant depression.

But a new study suggests the benefits of psilocybin in these patients might not be as effective as past clinical trials have suggested.

In 2023, Australia became the first country in the world to legalise the use of psychedelics to treat some mental health conditions.

Guest/s

• Associate Professor Fredrik Hieronymus, Group leader of the clinical psychopharmacology group, University of Gottenburg

References

• Control Group Outcomes in Trials of Psilocybin, SSRIs, or Esketamine for Depression

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

Frontotemporal dementia has been in the headlines recently because of the diagnosis of Bruce Willis in 2023. 

It's one of the most common forms of younger-onset dementia but there are fears many cases are being missed.

Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia primarily targets parts of the brain which govern personality and social behaviour.

Experts want the diagnostic guidelines to be broadened, as they currently exclude patients with memory loss.

Guest/s

• Julane Bowen, dementia law advocate
• Olivier Piguet, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Sydney

References

• Fourteen years later: Reviewing the diagnostic criteria for behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia patients missing out on timely diagnosis and treatment, researchers say

US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr has pulled $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccines. 

Experts are dismayed and say it could impede our ability to react fast and effectively to another pandemic. 

Also, clinical practice guidelines for the use of psychedelics in psychiatry have been released for public consultation. 

References

• Expert reaction to RFK Jr cancelling $500m of funding for mRNA vaccines - Science Media Centre
• Australia’s first clinical practice guideline for psychedelics released for public consultation - Monash University 

There are calls for a national loneliness strategy, after a report revealed the extent of the issue, especially in young people.

Researchers found 43 per cent of people aged 15 to 25 feel lonely — that’s more than two in five young people.

One in seven reported persistent loneliness lasting at least two years. Technology was both a help and at times, a hindrance to connection.

Guest/s

• Associate Professor Michelle Lim, University of Sydney and CEO of Ending Loneliness Together

References

• More than 2 in 5 young Australians are lonely, our new report shows. This is what could help
• Report of the WHO Commission on Social Connection

Artificially sweetened drinks — think kombuchas or no sugar fizzy drinks — have been thought of as a healthier alternative.

However a new Australian study has found both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages are associated with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers say this drives home the need for policy changes to address sweetened beverages as a whole.

Guest/s

• Professor Barbora de Courten, RMIT University in Melbourne
• Associate Professor Togzhi Wu, the University of Adelaide

References

• The association of sweetened beverage intake with risk of type 2 diabetes in an Australian population: A longitudinal study

Doctors can’t know everything — and there’s plenty they can learn from people with lived experience.

A program is connecting people who’ve dealt with ovarian and gynaecological cancers with student doctors.

The hope is to raise awareness of symptoms, and to give a glimpse into the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Guest/s

• Alison Evans, CEO of the Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group
• Kristin Young from the Survivors Teaching Students program

References

• Survivors Teaching Students - Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

A new study out in Nature has shown our immune system becomes primed when we see sick, sniffling people. 

Also, the national mental health commission puts out its latest report card, and it's not great news. 

And data out of South Australia hints at a worrying trend in secondary cancers in people with colorectal cancer. 

References

• Mental Health Commission - National Report Card 2024
• Incidence, Risk and Trends of Multiple Primary Cancers in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: Evidence From the South Australian Cancer Registry - Cancer Medicine
• Neural anticipation of virtual infection triggers an immune response | Nature Neuroscience 

When it comes to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, it’s likely the horse has bolted the gate.

Many doctors are using new tools to help out with clinical paperwork and free up their time.

But what are the benefits, and potential pitfalls, for patients? And how can they opt out?

Guest/s

• Professor Enrico Coiera, Director of the Centre for Health Informatics at Macquarie University

References

• Consultation: Clarifying and strengthening the regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) - TGA

While the prevalence of smoking has been falling in Australia, our progress has slowed since the emergence of vaping.

And in the UK new research has found that teens who currently vape are as likely to start smoking as their peers were in the 1970s.

But it’s not all bad news – there are signs that new restrictions have helped to slow the rate of young people taking up vaping in the first place.

Guest/s

• Professor Becky Freeman, member of the Prevention Research Collaboration at the University of Sydney

References

• Vaping and young people: Assessing early impacts of Australia's comprehensive approach to vaping product control
• Trends in adolescent smoking prevalence before and after the emergence of vaping in Australia: an interrupted time series analysis, 1999–2023
• Risk of adolescent cigarette use in three UK birth cohorts before and after e-cigarettes

Reminiscing about the past? Dwelling on times gone by? Or, as a new study suggests, are you simply rejuvenating your memories?

When we encode new memories, it’s only natural that we then go on to forget some of those experiences.

But there are many things we are able to recall time and time again, no matter how much time has past. Could frequent reminiscing be the reason?

Guest/s

• Professor Karl-Heinz Bäuml,  Professor of Psychology at Regensburg University

References

• Reinstating memories' temporal context at encoding causes Sisyphus-like memory rejuvenation

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

Pain flares in different parts of the brainstem depending on which parts of the body are triggered. 

Researchers from the University of Sydney have used placebo pain relief to uncover this map-like system.

The findings could the way for more targeted treatments for chronic pain conditions. 

Guest/s

• Dr Lewis Crawford, postdoctoral researcher at the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney

References

• Somatotopic organization of brainstem analgesic circuitry

The lower risk of dementia that seems to be associated with vaccination against shingles might not have anything to do with protection from the virus.

It might be the adjuvant in the vaccine itself. 

Also, ivermectin might be useful in controlling malaria. But its effects are on the mosquitoes, not humans. 

References

• Lower risk of dementia with AS01-adjuvanted vaccination against shingles and respiratory syncytial virus infections 
• Ivermectin to Control Malaria — A Cluster-Randomized Trial | New England Journal of Medicine
• Ivermectin against Malaria — Good News in Bad Times | New England Journal of Medicine

When having a baby, there are lots of decisions to be made about maternity care, and barriers depending on your socio-economic situation.

A new study has highlighted a worrying issue – finding higher adverse health outcomes in standard public maternity care.

However there have been criticisms about how the paper compared the two sectors, and whether it’s a fair contrast.

Guest/s

• Professor Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery at Western Sydney University

References

• Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes and Health System Costs in Standard Public Maternity Care Compared to Private Obstetric-Led Care: A Population-Level Matched Cohort Study
• Is childbirth really safer for women and babies in private hospitals? - the Conversation

New research suggests young bats might be a key source of viral spillover, as the immunity from their mums wane.

Coronaviruses are common in bats, though they don’t tend to cause any issues unless they spill over into bridging animals, which might then infect humans.

This is becoming more common because of habitat destruction and environmental stressors.

Guest/s

• Dr Alison Peel, veterinarian and wildlife disease ecologist at the University of Sydney

References

• Synchronized seasonal excretion of multiple coronaviruses coincides with high rates of coinfection in immature bats

For the first time ever, there’s been an international survey on chronic conditions from the perspective of the patient.

Australia is one of 19 countries that participated in the OECD-led survey.

Insights from the survey could contribute to improving care for patients living with chronic illness – with an emphasis on continuity of care.

Guest/s

• Lesley, participant in the survey
• Associate Professor Liz Marles, Clinical Director for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

References

• Patient-Reported Indicator Survey (PaRIS)
• PaRIS Survey - Australian National Report 2025

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

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 Medicine
• Mitochondrial donation | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 
• Food price elasticity estimates in Australia | Nature Food
• Multimorbidity in Australia - AIHW

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 Queensland

References

• Global Effect of Cardiovascular Risk Factors on Lifetime Estimates - NEJM

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

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 Melbourne

References

• Respiratory syncytial virus preventives for children in Australia: current landscape and future directions

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

References

• A radical new way to treat low back pain - ABC listen

An application to include a drug to treat the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has been rejected. 

The committee in charge of making the decision has ruled the potential benefits of the drug donanemab are too small, and the burden for both patients and the health system too large. 

In other news, a new study has highlighted the benefits of lifestyle interventions in staving off cognitive decline in people at high risk. 

References

• Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) Meeting Outcomes - July 2025
• Allostatic Load and Racial and Rural Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival | Oncology | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network
• Structured vs Self-Guided Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions for Global Cognitive Function

There could be a relatively simple way to prevent eczema in children, and it starts at just a few weeks old.

A new study has compared infants who received daily moisturisation with infants who didn’t.

It seemed to lower the rate of eczema, which is also a risk factor for children developing food allergy and asthma.

Guest/s

• Professor Eric Simpson, Professor of Dermatology at Oregon Health & Science University

References

• Emollients to Prevent Pediatric Eczema: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has convened a panel to discuss the use of a common antidepressant during pregnancy.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely used to treat depression and other mental health conditions.

Experts are concerned the panel has cast undue doubt on the medication, and changes shouldn’t be made without evidence.

Guest/s

• Dr Carolyn Breadon, perinatal psychiatrist at Alfred Health

References

• Paternal Depression as a Risk Factor for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Offspring: Implications for Maternal Depression and Its Treatment During Pregnancy
• Association Between Serotonergic Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children

Beta blockers are commonly used to treat heart conditions because they’re able to block the effects of stress hormones.

Now Australian researchers are uncovering their potential in stopping the progression of triple negative breast cancer.

Stress hormones can speed up the spread of cancer – so they’ve looked for a way to switch off that process.

Guest/s

• Associate Professor Michelle Halls, Monash University Institute of Pharmacological Sciences

References

• Hox-C12 coordinates β2-adrenoceptor coupling to a cAMP/calcium feedforward loop to drive invasion in triple-negative breast cancer

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.

You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

References

• Australian Physiotherapy Association