More people are injecting drugs than ever before. So what are the harms, and what are we doing to minimise them? People with schizophrenia have a life expectancy 25 years younger than the average Australian, and one of the reasons is heart attacks. Meanwhile, do surgeons need to change their approach to coronary bypass surgery? And Australian researchers uncover a potential new treatment for a rare blood disorder — that could replace blood letting....
Apr 03, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast More people are injecting drugs than ever before. So what are the harms, and what are we doing to minimise them? People with schizophrenia have a life expectancy 25 years younger than the average Australian, and one of the reasons is heart attacks. Meanwhile, do surgeons need to change their approach to coronary bypass surgery? And Australian researchers uncover a potential new treatment for a rare blood disorder — that could replace blood letting....
Apr 03, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Australia's bone marrow donor registry is funding a cheek swab program to recruit more donors, as it awaits government funding. Also, the latest in alopecia treatment for those who want to reverse hair loss — and the perspective of those who don't. And prostate cancer screening can be imprecise and invasive. Could delving into the genome help narrow things down?
Mar 27, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Australia's bone marrow donor registry is funding a cheek swab program to recruit more donors, as it awaits government funding. Also, the latest in alopecia treatment for those who want to reverse hair loss — and the perspective of those who don't. And prostate cancer screening can be imprecise and invasive. Could delving into the genome help narrow things down?
Mar 27, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussing the importance of addressing social determinants of health with a pioneer for health equity. Should vaping products be banned? Many young Australians are getting addicted to nicotine without always being aware that's what they're consuming. And eye drops could be used to slow the progression of short-sightedness, which is on the rise thanks to our screen-dominated world.
Mar 20, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discussing the importance of addressing social determinants of health with a pioneer for health equity. Should vaping products be banned? Many young Australians are getting addicted to nicotine without always being aware that's what they're consuming. And eye drops could be used to slow the progression of short-sightedness, which is on the rise thanks to our screen-dominated world.
Mar 20, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The debate continues on whether the TGA acted too soon on the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA for the treatment of some mental illnesses. Calls for Australia's cardiovascular disease guidelines to recommend coronary calcium scoring for patients at intermediate risk. And did you know ovarian cancer often originates in the fallopian tubes? A simple surgical procedure could drive down cases.
Mar 13, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The debate continues on whether the TGA acted too soon on the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA for the treatment of some mental illnesses. Calls for Australia's cardiovascular disease guidelines to recommend coronary calcium scoring for patients at intermediate risk. And did you know ovarian cancer often originates in the fallopian tubes? A simple surgical procedure could drive down cases.
Mar 13, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast How much screen time is too much for young kids? Taking a looking at what digital playtime is doing to children's brains. Calls for better models of care for people living with lymphoedema, to avoid deterioration and costly hospital stays. And organ donation is yet to fully recover from a pandemic-driven dip. Why aren't more people consenting?
Mar 06, 2023•Transcript available on Metacast How much screen time is too much for young kids? Taking a looking at what digital playtime is doing to children's brains. Calls for better models of care for people living with lymphoedema, to avoid deterioration and costly hospital stays. And organ donation is yet to fully recover from a pandemic-driven dip. Why aren't more people consenting?
Mar 06, 2023•Transcript available on Metacast Mind Medicine Australia share their thoughts on the recent approval of psychedelic compounds for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. A study in Sweden has looked at a possible association of maternal and paternal primary antibody immunodeficiencies — and if this provides a natural test of a hypothesis about parental immune activation. An intriguing story about people who can't burp, and turn to the internet for answers. Turns out there's a surprising treatment to unlock their gas....
Feb 27, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mind Medicine Australia share their thoughts on the recent approval of psychedelic compounds for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. A study in Sweden has looked at a possible association of maternal and paternal primary antibody immunodeficiencies — and if this provides a natural test of a hypothesis about parental immune activation. An intriguing story about people who can't burp, and turn to the internet for answers. Turns out there's a surprising treatment to unlock their gas....
Feb 27, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved the psychedelic compound psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression; and MDMA–or ecstasy–for treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of researchers think this is premature. More people are tackling the bracing discomfort of ice bath sessions—for the touted health benefits ... but there are some serious risks, so pay attention to the instructions before hopping in. Chronic, non-cancer-related pain is hard to treat and s...
Feb 20, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved the psychedelic compound psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression; and MDMA–or ecstasy–for treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of researchers think this is premature. More people are tackling the bracing discomfort of ice bath sessions—for the touted health benefits ... but there are some serious risks, so pay attention to the instructions before hopping in. Chronic, non-cancer-related pain is hard to treat and s...
Feb 20, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Australians will pay a lot to relieve the pain of arthritis—sometimes opting for unproven therapies using stem cells. Why does this happen? Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have long looked for the reason why— it may be related to the amount of 'cognitive reserve' some groups have been able to accumulate. Researchers have found that a protein in the K'gari (Fraser Island) funnel web spider venom has the ability to stop heart cells dying. It c...
Feb 13, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Strengthening Medicare Report was released recently, and the key recommendations include changes to the digital health environment; working to scope of practice; and modernising My Health Record. Psilocybin and MDMA are now approved as treatments for depression and MDMA—with caveats. And still need co-ordination between clinicians and manufacturers (the TGA has not approved or registered specific psilocybin or MDMA medications). A financial reward for obese people to achieve sustainable weig...
Feb 06, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Strengthening Medicare Report was released recently, and the key recommendations include changes to the digital health environment; working to scope of practice; and modernising My Health Record. Psilocybin and MDMA are now approved as treatments for depression and MDMA—with caveats. And still need co-ordination between clinicians and manufacturers (the TGA has not approved or registered specific psilocybin or MDMA medications). A financial reward for obese people to achieve sustainable weig...
Feb 06, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The prescription rate for medications to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder rose in recent years but was still below what's thought to be the extent of the condition. Organ donation is one of the great miracles of our time, but that's not to say it's easy. To be viable, a heart needs to be transplanted within four or five hours, and this is a huge logistical challenge for a country the size of Australia. The Garvan Institute has studied the combination of genetic profile alongside fa...
Jan 30, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The prescription rate for medications to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder rose in recent years but was still below what's thought to be the extent of the condition. Organ donation is one of the great miracles of our time, but that's not to say it's easy. To be viable, a heart needs to be transplanted within four or five hours, and this is a huge logistical challenge for a country the size of Australia. The Garvan Institute has studied the combination of genetic profile alongside fa...
Jan 30, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sun Pharmaceuticals is a supplier of generic medications and they're in hot water about possible violations of the manufacturing process at their facility in Gujarat, India. Fasting diets like the 5:2 or the 16/8 have become very popular. While there's lots of evidence for the benefits of the 5:2 diet in animals, there's hasn't been much in humans. The results are not out from a trial of intermittent fasting in overweight men and women. One of the biggest puzzles for humans is the brain, or more...
Jan 23, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sun Pharmaceuticals is a supplier of generic medications and they're in hot water about possible violations of the manufacturing process at their facility in Gujarat, India. Fasting diets like the 5:2 or the 16/8 have become very popular. While there's lots of evidence for the benefits of the 5:2 diet in animals, there's hasn't been much in humans. The results are not out from a trial of intermittent fasting in overweight men and women. One of the biggest puzzles for humans is the brain, or more...
Jan 23, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Royals have a tendency to change the course of history — in life and in death. From King George III's apparent madness, to Queen Victoria's genetic legacy, the Health Report takes a look back at the illnesses (and deaths) that have shaped the world. Note that the change of broadcast time mentioned at the end of the program refers to our live program on Mondays.
Jan 16, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Royals have a tendency to change the course of history — in life and in death. From King George III's apparent madness, to Queen Victoria's genetic legacy, the Health Report takes a look back at the illnesses (and deaths) that have shaped the world. Note that the change of broadcast time mentioned at the end of the program refers to our live program on Mondays.
Jan 16, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) affects 7 or 8 per cent of people in their 60s, and one in four people in their 80s. In an ageing population the number of those with mild cognitive impairment will increase. There's a new perspective on the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease. Are we doing the right thing by removing accumulated amyloid protein from the brains of people with it? Some people experience a tingly feeling when they hear certain noises and this feeling might be a useful interven...
Jan 09, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) affects 7 or 8 per cent of people in their 60s, and one in four people in their 80s. In an ageing population the number of those with mild cognitive impairment will increase. There's a new perspective on the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease. Are we doing the right thing by removing accumulated amyloid protein from the brains of people with it? Some people experience a tingly feeling when they hear certain noises and this feeling might be a useful interven...
Jan 09, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than two decades ago a major milestone in cancer research was reached with the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Inherited mutations to these genes can dramatically increase the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers. The discovery opened up new ways of knowing who is at risk of cancer, how to treat the cancer, and even how to prevent it happening in the first place. This moving feature describes what this genetic information means for families who have seen loved ones endure s...
Jan 02, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than two decades ago a major milestone in cancer research was reached with the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Inherited mutations to these genes can dramatically increase the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers. The discovery opened up new ways of knowing who is at risk of cancer, how to treat the cancer, and even how to prevent it happening in the first place. This moving feature describes what this genetic information means for families who have seen loved ones endure s...
Jan 02, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast With COVID we've focused on vaccines and masks but there is more we can do, and the situation parallels a public health revolution from the mid-1800s. If you're a modern human you likely carry a bit of tech on you to track how physically active you are. But how can we be sure it's really promoting activity? Telomeres are small 'caps' on the ends of your chromosomes—the length of telomeres is seen as an indicator of how fast we age. How accurate could they be? Hosts: Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Sw...
Dec 26, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast With COVID we've focused on vaccines and masks but there is more we can do, and the situation parallels a public health revolution from the mid-1800s. If you're a modern human you likely carry a bit of tech on you to track how physically active you are. But how can we be sure it's really promoting activity? Telomeres are small 'caps' on the ends of your chromosomes—the length of telomeres is seen as an indicator of how fast we age. How accurate could they be? Hosts: Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Sw...
Dec 26, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's expected now that on the whole we will live longer, but individuals want to know how to spend a longer life in good health—and to set a good foundation. This program was first heard on 25 April, 2022 Dr Norman Swan's book was published in July 2022. Guest: Prof Luigi FontanaLeonard P Ullman Chair in Translational Metabolic HealthDirector, Healthy Longevity Research and Clinical ProgramCharles Perkins Centre | Sydney Medical School (Central Clinical School)Faculty of Medicine and Health, Uni...
Dec 19, 2022•Transcript available on Metacast 
