A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.   You can email us at [email protected]

It has been 60 years since one of the pillars of medical ethics – the Declaration of Helsinki – was published. For the most part, it is seen as a leading light for researchers doing clinical trials with human participants. But some think one of the principles is misleading – the one that states "the physician must offer care in the patient's best interest". Guest/s Professor Jerry Menikoff, Centre for Biomedical Ethics at the National University of Singapore References WMA Declaration of...

If your knees creak when you exercise, you might be concerned about what's going on in the joint. But researchers have found there's nothing inherently wrong with exercising your noisy knees – especially when there's no pain involved. Guest/s Jamon Couch, physiotherapist and researcher at La Trobe University References Noisy knees - knee crepitus prevalence and association with structural pathology: a systematic review and meta-analysis

What do we know about the long-term effects of cannabis use on the brain? A review has found chronic cannabis use during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with worse academic performance. However, is cannabis the cause of worse grades, absenteeism and unemployment, or a bystander to a larger problem? Guest/s Associate Professor Li Wang, Department of Anesthesia at McMaster University Professor Louisa Degenhardt, research director at the National Drug and Alcohol Research...

Another study has supported the assumption that vaccination protects people from long COVID. But when does that protection wane? Australia has seen a second consecutive drop in life expectancy rates, probably due to the pandemic.  And as predicted, there has been a spike in whooping cough cases. Do we need to reconsider our vaccination schedule? References Effect of COVID-19 vaccination on the risk of developing post-COVID conditions: The VENUS study Life expectancy - Australian Bureau of...

Donald Trump's election win could mean big changes for health policy in the United States.  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he's been promised a major health role in the administration.  He has vowed to address fluoride in the drinking water, and the safety of vaccines. Do his claims have any merit?

A major review has looked at the barriers health professionals face working to their full scope of practice. It includes a recommendation that allied health professionals like physiotherapists or psychologists be able to refer patients to a specialist themselves, without needing to send patients back to the GP.  There have been mixed reactions to the proposal.  References Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce – Scope of Practice Review Final Report

Early intervention is important when it comes to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack, stroke and other diseases. A person’s blood pressure in adolescence might predict whether they will go on to struggle with hypertension in adulthood. A new study suggests screening for high blood pressure at younger ages could be a useful prevention strategy. Guest Associate Professor Costan Magnussen, principal research fellow at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute References Tracking...

Asthma is a common chronic condition that can be life-threatening when left untreated. So what is the best treatment? A combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and formoterol is recommended in the latest global guidelines. A review of the evidence backs this up – finding a proactive combo is more effective at reducing symptoms than a single quick-relief medication. Guest Professor Christine Jenkins, head of the respiratory group at The George Institute for Global...

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a common procedure in Australia. The surgeon inserts a catheter through a blood vessel in your leg to implant the artificial valve into your heart. Because it's minimally invasive, it has become a useful alternative to open heart surgery. However researchers in the US have discovered that since 2018, outcomes from this procedure have been worsening. And while the change is small, they haven’t been able to find out why it's happening. Guest Dr...

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week. You can email us at [email protected]

The latest health news, including an inquiry into the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what can be done better during pandemics. And what's behind the dip in Australia's childhood vaccination rates? References COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report ‘Worse-placed than in 2020’: Where Australia’s pandemic response went wrong, Sydney Morning Herald Access barriers drive low kids’ vaccination for third year, newsGP Immunisation rates falling among children, ABC PM

A gene variant has been discovered that could explain susceptibility to disease among First Nations people in Oceania. The variation affects the natural killer cells, which play a vital role in the first line of immune defence. It's a discovery that could have implications for the treatment of diseases like tuberculosis and cancer. Guest Professor Andrew Brooks, immunologist at the Doherty Institute and the University of Melbourne References An archaic HLA class I receptor allele...

Could skin grown in a lab be used to treat severe burns? Spray on skin, another Australian invention, has been hugely successful in treating first and second degree burns. However third degree burns are still difficult to treat, and require skin to be taken from elsewhere on the body and grafted onto the wound. Melbourne's Skin Bioengineering Laboratory has learnt how to grow new sheets of skin — using the patients own cells. Guest Dr Shiva Akbarzadeh, Monash University A/Prof Heather...

Painful sex is common — some research suggests it might affect up to 35 per cent of sexually active women. But just because it's common doesn't mean it's normal, or something that can't be resolved. There are interventions that work, including pelvic floor physiotherapy. But are there enough specialists to meet demand? Guests Alex Barwick, ABC Alice Springs Daisy Anna Lennie, physiotherapist A/Professor Helena Frawley, women's health physiotherapy researcher, University of...

The latest health news, including new guidelines to limit "forever chemicals" per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — or PFAS — in drinking water. And Egypt has been certified malaria-free. References Australian Drinking Water Guidelines - Public Consultation on Draft Guidance for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) PFAS Australia: 'Forever chemicals' safe limits slashed as tap water clean-up looms - Sydney Morning Herald Egypt is certified malaria-free by WHO The path to eradication:...

The incidence of type 2 diabetes among Australian adults is declining. However this decline is not being seen across all ethnic backgrounds. From 2011 to 2019, the incidence increased among those born in Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Pacific Islands. It has prompted calls to adjust prevention strategies to better serve people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Guest Professor Jonathan Shaw, Deputy Director of the Baker Heart and Diabetes...

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a group of inflammatory joint conditions that affect children and teens under the age of 16. An Australian study has documented the physical, mental, social and financial burden of these conditions on young people and their families. It has identified "unacceptable delays" in diagnosis, and an ongoing lack of awareness among health professionals. Guests Nylah, eight-year-old who has juvenile arthritis Adam, Nylah's father Professor Stephen Colagiuri,...

Have you been invited to join a running group lately? It's likely, in part because of the growing popularity of events like Parkrun. It's one thing to cave under peer pressure and drop into a single Sunday sesh, and another to become a regular attendant. Thanks to a three-year study of Parkrun data, we now know more about why some people stick with it. Guests Anne Grunseit, Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Technology Sydney James Bullen, ABC Science...

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.   You can email us at [email protected]

The latest health news, including the burst of viral illnesses we've seen recently in Australia — and which viruses are behind them. And was your last blood pressure reading accurate? A new study shows common but incorrect arm positions for these measurements can lead to overestimates. References NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report, October 2024 Arm Position and Blood Pressure Readings The ARMS Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial 'What you need to know about blood pressure measurement' the...

The rate of self-harm among young people is rising, but despite this the issue remains neglected. That's according to a major paper that has outlined what can be done by governments, services, the media and wider society to address the issue. It recommends addressing social and cultural contributors to self-harm, and centring the voices of people with lived experience. If you need support, you can contact Lifeline's crisis line on 13 11 14. Information and support is also available on...

Giving birth is something many women go through and yet so many come out of it feeling like it didn't go to plan. When the baby is in breech position — bottom first instead of head first — it can get even more complicated. This is why, before things get to this point, attempts are made to flip the baby. And when this is unsuccessful, many women go on to have a caesarean section. However, delivering a breech baby is possible. One obstetrician is trying to keep the art of this delicate...

Blood letting might be an ancient practice, but in some cases it's still the ideal treatment. One instance is in haemochromatosis, an inherited condition where the body absorbs too much iron. Many patients still undertake blood letting at pathology centres where it can't be put to good use. But they could be donating their blood — providing an iron-rich solution to low donation rates. Guests David, haemochromatisis patient Peter Bentley, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Western...

The latest health news, including microRNA researchers winning this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. What's the big deal with these tiny molecules? And Marburg virus has been detected in hospitals across Rwanda for the first time. The virus causes a haemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. References Medicine Nobel awarded for gene-regulating 'microRNAs' The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 Marburg Outbreak in Rwanda Situation Summary