Health Report - Separate stories podcast

Health regulators are concerned it’s too easy for people to get their hands on medicinal cannabis.Regulators are concerned practitioners are putting profits over patient safety, with some writing more than 100 scripts a day.What does the evidence say about what medicinal cannabis is effective for, and some of the risks associated with using it?Guest/sProfessor Michael Farrell, director of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South WalesReferencesMedicinal cannabis prescribing practices under scrutiny after scripts issued 'every 4 minutes' - ABC News‘Infuriating and dangerous’: Psychiatrist tries and fails to speak with his patients’ medicinal cannabis prescribers - AusDoc.

Antipsychotic medications can be transformative for people with schizophrenia, but they come with side effects.Weight gain and metabolic dysfunction are common, and contribute to people with schizophrenia having a higher mortality than the rest of the population.A trial out of Queensland has looked at whether semaglutide might help address this weight gain, making antipsychotic medications more tolerable.Guest/sProfessor Dan Siskind, psychiatrist at the University of Queensland and metro south healthReferencesEfficacy and safety of semaglutide versus placebo for people with schizophrenia on clozapine with obesity (COaST): a phase 2, multi-centre, participant and investigator- blinded, randomised controlled trial in Australia

A national audit of radiology practices has revealed that 3 in 5 private practices are owned by large for-profit corporations.It also found that four corporations own over half of all clinics that provide MRI.There are concerns growing corporate dominance raises questions about the future of affordable, high-quality care. Guest/sDr Sean Docking, health economist and senior research fellow at Monash UniversityReferencesCorporatisation and ownership concentration in diagnostic imaging: an audit of Australian practices

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

COVID-19 cases are surging in Australia, driven by the new Omicron subvariant NB.1.8.1, with vaccinations proving crucial. Concerns around measles vaccination gaps in newborns arise, especially given the troubling rise in measles globally. The discussion includes the role of maternal antibodies in protecting infants and the need for updated immunization protocols. Additionally, a humorous take on how having dogs at home may benefit children's health by reducing allergies adds a lighthearted twist to the serious topic of immunity.

Something as simple as an exercise program post-chemotherapy could significantly increase the risk of survival in colon cancer.A 17-year randomised-controlled trial found a 37 per cent lower risk of death in patients who participated in the three-year program.This compared to a group that received exercise advice but didn't receive structured support. Guest/sProfessor Janette Vardy, professor of cancer medicine at the University of SydneyProfessor Haryana Dhillon, professor of psycho-oncology at the University of Sydney ReferencesStructured Exercise after Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer - NEJM 

If you’re a man carrying a common genetic variant, you could be twice as likely to develop dementia in your lifetime compared to women.An Australian study made the connection between risk and variants in the haemochromatosis gene, which is critical for regulating iron levels in the body.It’s not yet known why having two copies of this variant increases the risk of dementia for males but not females.Guest/sProfessor John Olynyk, hepatologist and associate director of clinical engagement at the Curtin Medical Research InstituteReferencesHaemochromatosis Genotypes and Incident Dementia in a Prospective Study of Older Adults

If you've given birth and still aren't feeling back to your old self physically, a new study could explain why. Researchers took blood tests up to 80 weeks postpartum, and found in about 50 per cent of cases values didn't return to baseline for between three months and a year. The study also revealed the ongoing effect of pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Guest/sProfessor Amanda Henry, Program Head of Women's Health at the George Institute, and professor of obstetrics at the University of New South WalesReferencesPregnancy and postpartum dynamics revealed by millions of lab tests - ScienceAdvances

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

GPs in NSW will soon be able to undertake further training to diagnose and treat kids and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Western Australia and Queensland have already implemented similar reforms to address the barriers to seeing a paediatrician or a psychiatrist. Also, fears the collapse of Australia's second-largest private hospital group, Healthscope, is "a canary in the mine" for the sector.