Health Report

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Where Australia stands on drug decriminalisation Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

Drug use has been increasing, whether it be cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens or ketamine. That includes recreational use and substance abuse.

So it begs the question: Has criminalising drugs ever worked? And what needs to be done to drive down the harms associated with this increasing drug use?

If you're in need of support, you can contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline on 1800 250 015, or contact Counselling Online.

Credits

Abigail Leeder, Reporter
Shelby Traynor, Producer

'Life and potential death': Being diagnosed with cancer while pregnant Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

The shock of a cancer diagnosis is familiar for far too many people.

But when Na'ama Carlin was diagnosed with breast cancer, her health wasn't the only consideration.

If you're in need of support you can contact Mummy's Wish or Hope for Two.

Rise in injecting drug use | Schizophrenia and sudden death | Change needed in bypass surgery | Breakthrough in cause of fatigue Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

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.

Bone marrow registry's recruitment drive | Trials and errors of alopecia treatment | Prostate cancer screening Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

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?

What changed TGA's mind on psychedelics | The health gap | Proposed vaping ban | Eye drops for short-sightedness Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

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.

Psychedelic decision under scrutiny | Calcium scoring for heart health | Removing fallopian tubes to prevent cancer Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

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.

Screen time for kids | Lymphoedema awareness | Impact of COVID on organ donation Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

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?

Psilocybin promotor's response | Mothers immune system and mental health | Relief for those who can't burp Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

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.

Psilocybin and MDMA | ice baths | antidepressants for pain Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

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 so alternate medications—like antidepressants—are used because of their action on the brain. A group of researchers has compiled the available evidence on their efficacy.

Knee arthritis and stem cells | Alzheimer's and women | spider venom and hearts | Maturity-onset diabetes and genetic testing Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

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 could also help preserve organs prior to transplant.

A genetic form of diabetes can occur later in life, and doesn't require insulin. A pilot project has looked at the benefits of early genetic testing for it.

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