Curbing future weight gain among kids with milk, not water: new University of Sydney research – September 17, 2015
University of Sydney researchers cite daily consumption of fruit juice and soft drinks among obese-prone two-to-six year olds places them at risk of becoming overweight. The 18 month long study just published in The British Journal of Nutrition confirms children predisposed to weight gain should avoid sugar-laden drinks, and substitute milk for water in order…
Recycling organs: a risky business or savvy strategy for tackling our national shortage of organ donors? September 11, 2015
With around 1,600 Australians on the organ donation waiting list at any given time, a shortage of organ donations across the nation has led doctors at Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital to transplant willing dialysis patients with the recycled and diseased kidneys of cancer patients. Despite being an extremely risky procedure, according to the ABC (September…
A Stroke Risk Assessment could save your life – September 9, 2015
This Stroke Risk Awareness Month we are posing the question – Are you at risk of stroke? Are you aware that stroke is the third most common cause of death in Australian men, ranking higher than prostate cancer, and the second most common cause of death in women, ranking higher than breast cancer. There’s a…
One-in-two Australians affected by chronic disease: AIHW report – August 14, 2015
New figures released by the Australian Institute of Health and Wellness (AIHW) this week (Wednesday, August 12, 2015) reveal 50 per cent of Aussies are living with at least one chronic disease, while 20 per cent of us are battling two or more chronic diseases. Among people aged 45 and older, this figure doubles to…
Pharmacies set to be consolidated into large retail groups: Terry White founder – August 13, 2015
Speaking at the recent Terry White Chemists national conference in Melbourne (Aug 9 – 11), former Pharmacy Guild of Australia (QLD) President, and founder of the Terry White Chemists Group, Terry White explained that as the pharmacy profession changes, pharmacies will increasingly be consolidated into large retail groups. According to Pharmacy News, August 11, 2015,…
Discussion paper puts healthcare reforms on the agenda – August 6, 2015
In a discussion paper released on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 by the Federal Health Minister, The Hon Sussan Ley MP, chronic health, primary health providers and health system reform were put on the agenda. Developed by the Primary Health Care Advisory Group (PHCAG), which is headed by former AMA president, Steve Hambleton, the discussion paper…
Gaming – the future of health: August 2, 2015
Who are Australia’s biggest gamers? Perhaps 18-25 year old men, or teenage boys? According to Nick Bowditch, Founder of The Mentoring Club, and the only Australian to have worked for both Twitter and Facebook, our nation’s biggest gamers are mothers! Although somewhat surprising, an IGEA Digital Australia report released in 2014 revealed 81 per cent…
A mother’s renewed appeal to the government to save her young daughter’s life – July 31, 2015
On December 1, 2014, the small aHUS Australian community celebrated with the PBS listing of Soliris (eculizumab) through Section 100: Highly Specialised Drugs Program for those who meet certain criteria, and the earmarking of $63 million in treatment funding over the next four years. Since then, our celebrations have begun to sour, as aHUS patients currently accessing…
HIV patient reportedly in remission more than a decade post- treatment – July 31, 2015
In what has been dubbed the “world’s first report of long-term remission from HIV in a child,” an 18-year old French woman is now in remission from HIV, despite ceasing anti-viral medicines 12 years ago, when six years of age. Born with HIV transmitted by her mother in 1996, she was placed on four anti-viral…
