Podcast
Health Report
Hosted by Unknown Author · EN
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.
26episodes
Episodes
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3D printing in healthcare
Mar 2700:39:18Tap to summarize3D printing is becoming an incredibly versatile modern tool - with scope to apply it to engineering, manufacturing, architecture and design challenges. And it's increasingly being used in ... healthcare.Plus, Kylie and Gillian had been friends for years when Kylie had a stroke in her early 30s. It turned Kylie's work-driven life upside down, and forced her and husband Chris to re-evaluate everything.This week's Health Report features stories from our archive. We'll be back with a new program next week.
Transcribe →Ultra-processed foods and behaviour in kids
Mar 2000:45:06Tap to summarizeThere's been major buzz in recent years over ultra-processed foods and whether they may be harmful to our health. A new study out of Canada has measured what toddlers eat and how much of it is ultra-processed - and then followed up two years later to examine the behavioural outcomes of those same children.New findings on 'silent' women's health issues and where women would like the focus of healthcare research and spending to be - what the authors are saying is a call to go 'beyond the bikini line.'It takes days for the results of an STI test to come back, and that can cause all sorts of problems. A new 'point-of-care' test aims to shave that testing window down to less than an hour, with implications for sexual health treatment in regional and remote areas.Plus, sex differences after a diagnosis of cancer - men and women appear to follow separate trajectories, especially when it comes to their risk of death and adverse outcomes.References:Psilocybin or Nicotine Patch for Smoking CessationSex-based prognosis in industry-sponsored advanced solid tumour trials: an individual participant data meta-analysis of survival and adverse eventsThanks to AI, Paul can see the culprit of his dog's cancerMeet the man who designed a cancer vaccine for his dogUltraprocessed Food Consumption and Behavioral Outcomes in Canadian ChildrenMultilevel predictors of ultra-processed food intake in Canadian preschoolers‘Women deserve better’: a national mixed-methods exploration of the ‘silent’ health conditions and social issues affecting women and girls in AustraliaCRISPR-Cas-based diagnostics for point-of-care detection of sexually transmitted infections: a laboratory development and evaluation study
Transcribe →MDMA therapy's side effects
Mar 1300:42:17Tap to summarizeMDMA psychotherapy was approved in Australia three years ago. Who's using it and what do we know about treatment side effects?Vaccine reminders can help nudge people back on track, but how the message is framed matters.A new review of screen use and sleep in young people finds no link between the amount of use and sleep quality or duration.And a different way of looking at mental health outcomes - whether digital tools can help us forecast someone's future needs and provide better, more personalised care.References:Within-Person Association Between Daily Screen Use and Sleep in YouthAcetaminophen (Paracetamol) or Opioid Analgesia Added to Ibuprofen for Children’s Musculoskeletal InjuryEffects of daily multivitamin–multimineral and cocoa extract supplementation on epigenetic aging clocks in the COSMOS randomized clinical trialSide-effects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysisExperiences of Australian clinicians, researchers, and patients with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A framework-guided qualitative analysisThe AuTOMATIC trial: a multicentre digitally-automated, Bayesian, adaptive, parallel, factorial randomised controlled trial of SMS reminders for childhood vaccinationThe necessity of digital measurement-based care for navigating complexity in youth mental healthDynamic learning of individual-level suicidal ideation trajectories to enhance mental health care
Transcribe →Are Australian kids eating too much salt?
Mar 600:44:30Tap to summarizeAre Australian schoolkids eating too much salt? And does it put them at risk of high blood pressure?A new approach to breast cancer screening based on risk could reduce the number of screens needed for some women.There's been a lot of hype around brain training to protect against cognitive decline, but the results haven't always measured up. Now a new long-term study has promising results. Plus, navigating the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis -- when can the condition be medically managed and when should you consider surgery?References:Impact of cognitive training on claims-based diagnosed dementia over 20 years: evidence from the ACTIVE studyEfficacy and safety of once-daily oral orforglipron compared with oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes (ACHIEVE-3)Risk factors for the development of food allergy in infants and childrenSodium, potassium and blood pressure in Australian schoolchildren: exploring differences by sex and weight status — a cross-sectional studyRisk-Based vs Annual Breast Cancer Screening: The WISDOM Randomized Clinical Trial
Transcribe →Can AI chatbots be good therapists?
Feb 2700:45:14Tap to summarizeWe know many people are turning to generative AI for health advice, including tips on how to manage stress, anxiety and low mood. When is it safe to turn to a chatbot, and when do you need to see a real human being? And what if you can't afford it?Also, a home review program that aims to get people off drugs they don't need to be on that might be negatively impacting their lives. And good news when it comes to Australia's goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035. References:Uptake and performance of self-collection offered through primary care to all eligible participants in a national cervical screening programme in Australia: a retrospective cohort studyExtended follow-up of invasive cervical cancer risk after quadrivalent HPV vaccination: nationwide, register based studyLeisure-Time Physical Activity and Cancer Mortality Among Cancer SurvivorsInformed use of AI technologies for mental healthAI and mental health in Australia: what needs to happen next - Black Dog InstitutePharmacists call for medicine review program to be expanded - ABC NewsThe effect of deprescribing interventions on mortality and health outcomes in older people: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Transcribe →Deepfake scammers have stolen Norman’s voice
May 23, 2025Tap to summarizeIf you've come across ads of Norman pushing a product for you to buy — no you haven't. These ads are actually deepfake scams using an AI Norman to sell unproven supplements. Also, why a new Alzheimer's drug coming onto the market might not become cheap enough for most people to take. A breakthrough in gene-editing could push us closer to a future full of CRISPR treatments. And why eight hours a night might not be the magic number for sleep.
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