Health Report

Which flu strains are likely to be dominant this flu season - and what's the story with the new nasal spray vaccine?Speaking of sprays ... there's a simple saline spray that might help kids with sleep apnoea avoid surgery.And a treatment for enlarged prostate that doesn't involve going under the knife.Plus, a new review finds vaping is likely to cause certain types of cancer.References:The carcinogenicity of e-cigarettes: a qualitative risk assessmentCost-Effectiveness of Oral Immunotherapy Treatments vs No Treatment for Peanut Allergy in ChildrenAnnual Immunisation Coverage Report 2025Vaping likely to cause cancer, new Australian review of evidence finds (ABC News)Influenza (flu) vaccine - Department of HealthInfluenza immunisation resources - National Centre for Immunisation Research and SurveillanceHistoric 1994 influenza vaccine cohorts define breadth of antibody and B cell responses toward future influenza A and B virusesLab Notes: Super-K flu is here … but it's not our biggest problemIntranasal Treatments for Children With Sleep-Disordered Breathing: The MIST+ Randomized Clinical TrialProstate artery Embolisation Assessment of Safety and feasibilitY (P-EASY): a potential alternative to long-term medical therapy for benign prostate hyperplasiaThe ‘Prostate Embolisation AS first-line therapY compAred to meDication in treatment naïVe men with prostAte eNlargement, a randomised ControllEd trial’ (P-EASY ADVANCE): a randomised controlled trial of prostate embolisation vs medication for BPHProstate artery EmbolisAtion Safety and efficacY: Preliminary and foLlow-Up urodynamic Studies (P-EASY PLUS)

3D 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.

Dr Shivani Pasricha, lab head developing rapid CRISPR-based STI tests that return results in under an hour. Dr Sarah Holton, senior researcher on women's health priorities beyond reproductive care. They discuss links between toddlers' ultra-processed food intake and later behaviour. They also cover women's ‘silent’ health concerns and how rapid, portable diagnostics could improve care in remote communities.

Tom Snelling, public health professor who trials SMS reminders for childhood vaccination, and Associate Professor Jill Beatty, substance use researcher focused on MDMA psychotherapy for PTSD. They discuss MDMA therapy’s short-term side effects and gaps in long-term safety, how expectations and access shape outcomes, and results of a trial testing different framed SMS reminders to improve vaccine timeliness.

Dr Nia Shiguata, gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon, explains endometriosis diagnosis, imaging and when surgery helps. Dr Carly Grimes, nutrition researcher, discusses measuring kids’ salt intake, links to blood pressure and practical ways parents can cut sodium. They explore taste shaping, sex and weight differences in salt effects, and realistic expectations for treatment and prevention.

Deborah Hawthorne, a consultant pharmacist focused on reducing risky polypharmacy in rural settings, and Jill Newby, a clinical psychologist researching online psychotherapy and digital mental health. They debate when people turn to AI for mental health and how chatbots differ from validated online therapies. They also cover safety, clinician oversight, and barriers to pharmacist-led home medicine reviews.

Professor Catherine Hill, head of rheumatology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and clinical professor at the University of Adelaide, talks gout epidemiology, treatment strategies and links to heart risk. She explains urate-lowering approaches, monitoring needs and why asymptomatic high uric acid should not be routinely treated. The conversation also covers acute gout inflammation and its short-term cardiovascular implications.

Professor Jason Kovacic, cardiologist and research director, on new nuance in beta blocker use after heart attack. Dr Nisha Cott, obstetrician and RANZCOG president, on Respectful Maternity and Newborn Care and rebuilding trust. Neil Munro, researcher, on exercise as a therapy for depression and anxiety and which formats work best. Short, clear takes on maternity guidance, meds and exercise-based mental health options.

When you pay for private health insurance, you might assume you'll be well covered if you get injured or fall ill. But a new report has revealed the huge costs that catch people off guard, and sometimes prevent them from receiving care. Also, a study hints that constant colds in childhood might not be business-as-usual and should be taken more seriously. And we talk through the Nipah virus outbreak in India, and changes in Victoria to ADHD medication prescribing.References:Nipah and Hendra Viruses: Deadly Zoonotic Paramyxoviruses with the Potential to Cause the Next Pandemic - PMCUrgent ADHD Top-Up Prescriptions Even Easier And CheaperRestoring affordable access to specialist care in AustraliaBurden of Infections in Early Life and Risk of Infections and Systemic Antibiotics Use in Childhood

Many people turning to AI for health advice are doing it for valid reasons — it's cheap, fast and isn't bound by a 15-minute timer. But the checks and balances companies use to ensure their products are safe, or even accurate, aren't open to public scrutiny.Also on the show, medical abortion is available up to nine weeks in Australia. There's a push to allow access later. And the much-maligned fat cell gets a look-in from a world-leading expert.ReferencesFirst step towards a national medicines recordNational medicines database promised after telehealth 'doctor-shopping' leads to overdoseUptake of Shingrix vaccine in its first year on the National Immunisation Program: an analysis of Australian Immunisation Register dataCannabis‐based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adultsSafety and efficacy of early medical abortion at home between 10+0 and 11+6 weeks' gestation: a retrospective review