The Medical Journal of Australia

Australia’s privacy regulator has recently updated its guidance to clinicians about contacting their patients’ relatives about their genetic risk of disease. The MJA is featuring an article on the subject by Dr Jane Tiller as an Online First this week, ahead of its publication in the Journal in August. Dr Tiller is a lawyer, genetic counsellor and public health researcher. She’s the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University.

It’s NAIDOC week and the MJA’s – special issue on Indigenous Health “The MJA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which we live and work across Australia.  This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Wangal people and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.” Associate Professor Paul Saunders is a proud Biripi man whose family comes from the mid north coast of New South Wales. He is the associate professor and academic lead for Indigenous Health in the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong. He is one of the Guest editorial team and is our podcast guest today.

Today we are joined by Dr Brandon Baraty and Associate Professor Viraj Kariyawasam, two leading experts in gastroenterology, to discuss the latest in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management and bowel cancer screening. They’ll share insights into the most recent advancements in diagnostic techniques and cutting-edge treatment options shaping the future of patient care.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Dr Baraty is a senior Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist, and Endoscopist. He is the Head of Discipline of Gastroenterology at Macquarie University Hospital and the Director of Endoscopy at Ryde Hospital. Dr Baraty specialises in IBD care and is a leading expert in transabdominal ultrasound for IBD assessment in New South Wales.Associate Professor Kariyawasam is a Senior Gastroenterologist, Hepatologist, and Endoscopist at Macquarie University Hospital and Concord Hospital. He holds a PhD from Sydney University and has completed international fellowship training in IBD. He is dedicated to advancing IBD diagnosis and management while actively supporting patient advocacy and education.

 In this episode we are exploring advances in pulmonary hypertension as well as symptoms, treatments, and its connection to rheumatological patients and much more.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health – a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Associate Professor Martin Brown is a cardiologist specialising in advanced heart failure, complex structural heart disease, and pulmonary hypertension. A Clinical Associate Professor at Macquarie University, he currently leads several international trials on heart failure and pulmonary hypertension and has developed the right heart catheter virtual reality training program being used worldwide.Associate Professor Fred Joshua is a physician specialising in rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. He pioneered rheumatological ultrasound in Australia and developed a degree for rheumatologists through the Australian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Rheumatology Clinical Discipline Head at Macquarie University.

This week is the General Practice issue of the MJA. One of the authors featured is Dr Michael Wright, the President of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. He is a co-author on the paper "The impact of patient enrolment in primary care on continuity and quality of care around the world, 2014–2024, and lessons for Australia: a scoping review."

The Menzies School of Health Research is celebrating its 40th anniversary.It’s Australia’s leading medical research institute for improving health outcomes for First Nations people and its reach now extends beyond our shores to the Asia Pacific region.To commemorate this milestone, Menzies has chosen a collection of papers published in the MJA to highlight their research.Professor Alan Cass AO is the Director of Menzies and joins me now to discuss its work, its history and its future.

Osteoporosis, which is characterised by low bone density and bone tissue deterioration, affects two thirds of Australians over the age of 50.Healthy Bones Australia has been contracted by The Department of Health and Aged Care to update the 2017 guidelines for osteoporosis management.A summary of this update has now been published in the Medical Journal of Australia.Professor Peter Wong is a rheumatologist and head of Rheumatology at Westmead Hospital and the honorary medical director of Healthy Bones Australia.He is one of the co-authors of the guidelines and joins me now.

Today we are exploring Respiratory Syncytial Virus in infants including its spread, its treatment and impact on families.This podcast was created with the support of our sponsor Sanofi. Dr Rama Kandasamy is a paediatrician working at the Sydney Childrens Hospital network and the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

Today we are exploring the topic of Translational Orthopaedic Research in Practice.This podcast is sponsored by Macquarie University Hospital, part of MQ Health - a trailblazer in healthcare, education and research.Joining me is Associate Professor Sumit Raniga who is an award winning sub-specialist internationally recognised. orthopaedic shoulder and elbow surgeon. He is the Director of the Translational   Orthopaedic Research Lab and Head of Upper Limb Surgery and Therapy at Macquarie University Hospital. Dr Michael Dan is a lower limb orthopaedic specialist with further formal subspeciality training from the Lyon Knee School in France. 

It’s coming up to this year’s International Women’s Day, and today’s guests will talk about continuing gender in equality in health. In an article published today in The MJA’s InSight+,  PhD candidate Rachel Mather who is a committee member of Women in Global Health Australia and Associate Professor Meru Sheel who is chair of the organisation state that women occupy 70% of frontline health positions and only 25% of leadership positions in global health.