Health Report

A question asked about COVID-19 was whether high doses of intravenous vitamin C could fight it. Two randomised controlled trials showed no benefit for COVID-19. But high-dose Vitamin C can benefit cancer treatment.Arthritis of the hands is common, painful, a bit of a mystery, and hard to treat. Researchers have trialled a drug commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis, and found some benefit.In Victoria, hospital researchers have been watching how COVID and lockdowns affected births there. Some hospital adaptations persisted well past the lockdown phases—including shorter hospital stays after birth.Blood cancers often affect people younger than the average person who develops cancer, and Australian and New Zealand haematologists have been pioneers in trialling new treatments—this year marking the 50th anniversary of the clinical trial group that coordinates studies.

Two of the most common causes of death in Australia, and globally, are stroke and dementia. One cause of stroke is atrial fibrillation—an abnormal heart rhythm—it may also cause dementia.Faecal microbe (or poo) transplants are something we've talked about on the program, but until recently, they've not been widely available. In fact, the product is made in Australia.Australia is to participate in a survey of the experiences of patients in general practice who have a chronic illness.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an extreme form of anxiety caused by the laying down of bad memories when someone is involved in a threatening situation. A new treatment has been developed for people to write about their experience, and feelings about the memory.Having your blood pressure checked at the doctor's or hospital is a health care basic. A recent trial has found a significant and possibly unexpected source or error: the size of the cuff, relative to the thinness or thickness of your upper arm.For people with cancer, being offered a place in a clinical trial can provide hope of a better outcome, but trial participants are far less likely to be from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds than the general population.Hosts: Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor

Australians will soon vote on changing the Australian Constitution to recognise First Nations people—the Voice to Parliament. When it comes to health, there's a strong evidence base for the Voice. In a slightly edited form, we hear again a conversation from a few weeks' ago with two key people working in this area.Over the past two decades, deaths from cardiovascular disease among people with diabetes have gone down, but is revealing other trends

3D printing is becoming an incredibly versatile modern tool—there’s scope  in engineering, manufacturing, architecture and design—as well as in several aspects of health care. Today we tour the Herston Biofabrication Institute—part of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital—where clinicians, academics, and industry work together in a state of the art facility.

To have you in the best physical condition before major surgery many surgeons send you for a pre-operative assessment by a physician—does it help?When a child has persistent cold symptoms, it might be sinusitis and require antibiotics.If a child faints it's really only a worry when it causes an injury. But there might be an abnormality of the heart's electrical system, called congential Long QT syndrome, and prompt parents to have their child checked. Rehab after knee replacement is controversial because some hospitals keep you in for it, but if you go home soon after the surgery, maybe digital rehab will become an option.

The podcast explores the science of sleep and its impact on various aspects of our lives, including FIFO workers, people with PTSD, and overall sleep improvement. It highlights the connection between disrupted sleep and individuals with chronic insomnia and PTSD, and the significance of circadian medicine on sleep and health. The podcast also discusses the challenges faced by shift workers, the importance of managing exposure to light, and the potential connection between sleep and mental and physical health.

A clearer picture of where and how mistakes are made in medical diagnoses.Monkeys on some Caribbean islands are helping researchers understand more about addiction.Sydney's Liverpool Hospital developed a program using gaming to spur on patients recovering from traumatic brain injury.

A conference on Long COVID in Australia, the potential health benefits of worm infections, and the weight bias in healthcare are discussed in this podcast.

Mexico's labeling of processed foods with warnings, research into the dangers of sitting, misleading fertility tests, and the debate among surgeons about uterine surgery.