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Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world.

Health Report - Full program podcast

Despite facing an increased risk of chronic disease later in life, remote Indigenous babies start life with a more diverse gut microbiome. 

A new study in Nature also found the infants have bacteria that have completely disappeared from non-Indigenous populations. 

Also, a guide to living healthy after a fatty liver disease diagnosis. And why fewer people are getting the HPV vaccine. 

References

Eating For Your Liver - Liver Foundation2025 Cervical Cancer Elimination Progress ReportIndigenous infants in remote Australia retain an ancestral gut microbiome despite encroaching Westernization

Indigenous babies born with more gut bugs

Historically women have had a hard time being heard in the doctor's office, with dismissiveness and delays in diagnosis all too common. 

The state government in Victoria has held an enquiry into women's pain to come up with recommendations aimed at shifting that experience to a more positive one. 

Also, we get a better sense of what's nature vs nurture when it comes to our attributes and our disease risks. 

And research suggests antibiotics, and their effects on the gut microbiome, could weaken vaccine response. 

References

The effect of shingles vaccination at different stages of the dementia disease course • 
WHO issues global guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity • 
Product warnings updated for GLP-1 RA class - TGA • 
Inquiry into Women's Pain - Victorian GovernmentGovt backs green whistle during IUD insertion in response to women’s pain inquiryEstimation and mapping of the missing heritability of human phenotypesBifidobacteria support optimal infant vaccine responses - NatureAntibiotics-Driven Gut Microbiome Perturbation Alters Immunity to Vaccines in HumansThe Antibiotics and Vaccine Immune Responses Study (AVIRS) • – people must be in Adelaide to participate!

Taking women's pain seriously in healthcare

The dentists' chair is not everyone's favourite place. Have you ever sat there wondering, why would anyone become a dentist?

We take a trip to dental school to find out why so many people get into dentistry, and the skills it takes. 

Also, are we doing enough to weigh up the risks vs benefits of CT scanning? 

And how an autoimmune skin condition actually affects the whole body, particularly the heart.

References:

Stronger safety controls to be introduced for products containing vitamin B6 - TGABird flu confirmed in elephant seal population at Heard IslandDecades of data missing: Metastatic breast cancer cases double previous estimatesProjected Lifetime Cancer Risks From Current Computed Tomography ImagingStudy on current CT scanning practices and the incidence of future cancersMediterranean Diet and Patients With Psoriasis: The MEDIPSO Randomized Clinical Trial

Why do people become dentists?

No coffee for six months, not even decaf. That's what participants of a trial looking into the effect on atrial fibrillation were asked to do.

Also, could we be on the verge of changing guidelines for asthma care in children? Or is it too early to call?

And catching cancer early can be important. How far away are we from harnessing blood, urine and even saliva tests to help?

References

PFAS inquiry hands down 47 recommendations to better regulate 'forever chemicals' in Australia - ABC News • 
The Lancet series on ultra-processed foodsOrforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (ATTAIN-2): a phase 3, double-blind, randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled trialCaffeinated Coffee Consumption or Abstinence to Reduce Atrial Fibrillation: The DECAF Randomized Clinical TrialBudesonide–formoterol versus salbutamol as reliever therapy in children with mild asthma (CARE): a 52-week, open-label, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial

Could you give up caffeine for six months?

There has been a rise in people that cut gluten out of their diet to address gut symptoms, despite not having a diagnosis of coeliac disease. 

New research is shedding light on what might actually be at play in non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. 

Also, how a common antibiotic might lower the risk of developing schizophrenia when given to young people at risk. 

And a look at the cancer prevention strategies that could have a big impact, but that most countries aren't taking on board. 

References

Government expenditure on public health activities in Australia 2023–24 - AIHWGlobal prevalence of hypertension among children and adolescents aged 19 years or younger: an updated systematic review and meta-analysisNon-coeliac gluten sensitivity - the LancetGlobal prevalence of self-reported non-coeliac gluten and wheat sensitivity: a systematic review and metaanalysisDoxycycline Use in Adolescent Psychiatric Patients and Risk of Schizophrenia: An Emulated Target TrialCancers attributable to alcohol - IARCAlcohol: a major preventable cause of cancer (IARC Evidence Summary Brief No. 6)

Got gut issues? Don't assume it's gluten

If you live with chronic pain, getting referred to a psychologist for pain management can feel like another dismissal. 

What does a session with a pain psychologist look like, and how effective can it be if you don't have any mental health diagnoses?

Also, some practical information for parents introducing allergens to their babies. And how the nervous system might inadvertently be fuelling gastrointestinal cancers. 

References

Deaths due to acute respiratory infections in Australia - ABSNeurodevelopmental Outcomes of 3-Year-Old Children Exposed to Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in UteroPain Management NetworkPain Management and Research Centre - patient informationManagement of Chronic Pain - for health professionalsOPEN pain training - for health professionalsNip allergies in the bubThe impact of reversing peanut allergy adviceAre allergen starter packs safe?Sensory neuropeptide CGRP and its co-receptor RAMP1 drive tumour cell growth in gastrointestinal cancers

Pain isn't all in your head — but psychotherapy can help

For 50 years we've known pulse oximeters are less accurate on darker skin, and it could lead to misdiagnoses. 

Also, allergen starter packs are being advertised to parents. Are they safe?

Guidelines have been released for male infertility care so men aren't left out. 

And joint replacements don't last forever, but there are ways to extend their life.

References

Guidelines for the management of male infertility - Healthy MaleData Resource Profile: The Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR)Novel Hypoglossal Stimulation Markedly Improves Airflow and Airway Collapsibility in OSARacial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement - NEJMFind a clinical trial

Racial inequity in our medical devices

It's a tricky conversation to navigate, so researchers have tried to find out the best way to bring up weight in the doctor's office while dodging bias and stigma.

Also, a look at the evidence surrounding transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression. 

The international effort to improve survival from pancreatic cancer. And how a change in guidelines spared tens of thousands of children from peanut allergy. 

References

Guidelines for Early Food Introduction and Patterns of Food AllergyNew systematic review and meta-analysis shows an association between shingles vaccination and lower risk of heart attack and stroke Shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine - who should get vaccinated?Supporting weight focused discussions in primary care: A qualitative exploration of barriers and facilitatorsDiscussing Weight with Patients in Primary Care in Australia: A Mixed Methods Experimental StudyTGA approves new brain stimulation device for treatment of depression - ABC NewsThe Australian Pancreatic High-RIsk ScrEening (APRISE) StudyThe Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection (PRECEDE) Consortium

Challenging weight bias in the doctor’s office

Gene editing holds huge promise to cure disease and alleviate human suffering, but there are many ethical considerations when it comes to changing our DNA. 

We map the story of Chinese scientist He Jiankui who was jailed for altering the genome of babies without proper consent. 

Also, we take a look at the common skin condition rosacea and what treatments are available. And some changes to blood test results mean you could see them before your doctor. 

References

Global antibiotic resistance surveillance report – World Health Organization New test categories available for faster access on My Health Record

Does human genome editing cross a line?

Endometriosis is a complex condition, and the pain associated with it can persist despite medications and surgery. New guidelines have suggested lifestyle changes like diet or supplements could work for some. 

Also, what you can do in your 40s to prevent heart failure later on. And anal cancer is rare but might be going under people's radar. Who should be screened?

References

Assessment of malnutrition in preschool-aged children by mid-upper arm circumference in the Gaza Strip (January, 2024–August, 2025): a longitudinal, cross-sectional, surveillance studyTestimony, advocacy, and the public health effect of genocideHealth of the Nation report - RACGPNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineAustralian Living Evidence Guideline: Endometriosis - The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists • 
Cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic health: an actionable vision for heart failure prevention - the LancetAnal Cancer Screening Guidelines

Why do people become dentists?

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