Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1. The Conversation · Jul 2, 2025
RFK Junior is stoking fears about vaccine safety. Here’s why he’s wrong – and the impact it could have The United States used to be a leader in vaccine research, development and policymaking. Now US Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr is undermining the country’s vaccine program at the highest level and supercharging vaccine skepticism. The Conversation · Jun 27, 2025
How pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes is changing. Here’s what this means for you How Australian pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes is set to change, with new national guidelines released today. The Conversation · Jun 22, 2025
Gay and bisexual men will soon be able to donate blood and plasma Many gay and bisexual men have been excluded from donating blood and plasma (the liquid portion of blood) for decades because of rules developed during the HIV crisis in the 1980s. The Conversation · Jun 18, 2025
The Australian government has launched a new strategy to boost vaccination rates. Will it work? Last week, the Australian government announced a new National Immunisation Strategy for 2025–30. This strategy sets out the government’s priorities for improving vaccine uptake for children, adolescents and adults over the next five years. The Conversation · Jun 16, 2025
GPs will be a great help for managing ADHD medications. But many patients will still need specialists The New South Wales government this week announced reforms that will allow some GPs to treat and potentially diagnose attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Conversation · May 30, 2025
PCOS affects 1 in 8 women worldwide, yet it’s often misunderstood. A name change might help Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects one in eight women globally. However, this complex hormonal condition is under-researched and often misunderstood. The Conversation · May 28, 2025
Heart attack or panic attack? Why young men are calling ambulances for unmanaged anxiety Anxiety affects one in five Australian men at some point in their lives. But the condition remains highly stigmatised, misunderstood and under-diagnosed. The Conversation · May 26, 2025
The government wants to contain NDIS growth. But ineligible people with disability also need support Ensuring the provision of high quality disability services will pose a significant challenge for the Albanese government’s second term. The Conversation · May 20, 2025
Sick of eating the same things? 5 ways to boost your nutrition and keep meals interesting and healthy Did you start 2025 with a promise to eat better but didn’t quite get there? Or maybe you want to branch out from making the same meal every week or the same lunch for work almost every day? The Conversation · Apr 29, 2025
How a new ‘Fishheart’ project is combining science, community and Indigenous art to restore life in the Baaka-Darling River A new state-of-the-art tube fishway technology called the “Fishheart” has been launched at Menindee Lakes, located on the Baaka-Darling River, New South Wales. The Conversation · Apr 20, 2025
Flawed medical studies can end up in doctors’ advice. We developed a tool to stop it Good health care depends on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. They translate the best available research into recommendations that shape diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies. The Conversation · Mar 31, 2025
We analysed almost 1,000 social media posts about 5 popular medical tests. Most were utterly misleading When Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram about having had a full-body MRI, she enthused that the test can be “life saving”, detecting diseases in the earliest stages before symptoms arise. The Conversation · Feb 26, 2025
NDIS reforms aim to make the scheme fairer. But we’ve found the groups struggling to gain access When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013, one of its driving aims was to make disability services and support systems fairer. The Conversation · Feb 16, 2025
The Guardian - AU · Feb 13, 2025 Domestic violence study that strangled rats should not have been approved, animal advocates argue Study aimed to improve detection of brain injury from intimate partner violence, but critics say its non-fatal strangulation of animals was not justified
The Conversation · Jan 30, 2025 5 years after COVID began, outstanding fines mean marginalised Australians are still paying the highest price January 25 marked five years since the first COVID case was recorded in Australia.
The Conversation · Jan 24, 2025 How we treat catchment water to make it safe to drink Most of us are fortunate that, when we turn on the tap, clean, safe and high-quality water comes out.
The Conversation · Jan 14, 2025 How we diagnose and define obesity is set to change – here’s why, and what it means for treatment Obesity is linked to many common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease and knee osteoarthritis.
The Conversation · Jan 8, 2025 Blood, urine and other bodily fluids: how your leftover pathology samples can be used for medical research A doctor’s visit often ends with you leaving with a pathology request form in hand. The request form soon has you filling a sample pot, having blood drawn, or perhaps even a tissue biopsy taken.
The Conversation · Dec 26, 2024 Children can be more vulnerable in the heat. Here’s how to protect them this summer Extreme heat is increasingly common in Australia and around the world and besides making us uncomfortable, it can harm our health. For example, exposure to extreme heat can exacerbate existing medical conditions, or cause problems such as heat stroke.
The Conversation · Dec 10, 2024 Vaccination rates among Australian teens are dropping. Here’s how we can get back on track Australia has a successful adolescent immunisation program, routinely achieving high vaccine coverage for teenagers.
The Conversation · Dec 3, 2024 A new at-home test will soon be available for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Here’s what to know Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recently approved a self-test kit for chlamydia and gonorrhoea for women and other people with a vagina.
AAP · Nov 25, 2024 Thousands of PFAS chemicals unmonitored, research finds There is an urgent need to identify levels of "forever chemicals", according to scientists who found concentrations of one could double in the environment.
The Conversation · Nov 12, 2024 New study suggests weight loss drugs like Ozempic could help with knee pain. Here’s why there may be a link The drug semaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, was originally developed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
The Conversation · Nov 8, 2024 Your friend has been diagnosed with cancer. Here are 6 things you can do to support them Across the world, one in five people are diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. By age 85, almost one in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer.